LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

CJ V> , • 1 A ' *^ ^ <=«• *3 nJ 



UNITED STATES OF AMEEIOA. 



WAS CHRIST A GOD ? 



Conclusions drawn from Apostolic Writings, 



By F, MENSINGA. 



$©vW 






NEW YORK : 

Published by F. MENSINGA, 
1880. 






Copyrighted by F. Mensinga, 
1880. 



AUTHOR'S PREFACE. 



In directing attention to the theories advanced herein, 
and asking for them an impartial judgment, I think it well 
to state as briefly as may be, what led to the production of 
the book ; such a starting point, in my opinon, being in a 
manner necessary to a full understanding of its motive. 

In the first x^lace it originated from no desire of criticis- 
ing the Scriptures only. An earnest religious spirit has from 
earliest childhood inspired me with sincere reverence and 
love for the Bible, and it is this which has led me to make of 
it so complete a study. I believed it to be the Word of God, 
and with a view to making its tangled contents clear to my 
mind, gave every part of it calm and impartial consideration. 
This eventually exposed to me its many inconsistencies, and 
finally, after long suffering, brought me to my present con- 
viction. 

The desire of understanding the Scriptures clearly, I owe, 
in the first place, to my father, a minister of the Gospel 
who, in accordance with the doctrines of the Dutch Reformed 
Remonstrant Church to which he belongs, always advocated 
liberty of thought in all religious matters. He held that it could 



4 Author's Preface. 

not be wrong to ponder such religious questions as were not 
clear to our minds, and that we should not place confidence 
even in the Bible if its statements failed to harmonize with 
our own judgment ; that our minds were bestowed upon us 
to use in any proper way, and that not to think is to neglect 
a duty. On this account I felt justified in criticising even 
the Scriptures, where I discovered a statement therein that 
to me was not in conformity with justice and reason. 

My motive in publishing the results of such criticism 
and investigation is to contribute my mite to the present 
gigantic strife for progress, development and knowledge 
which in our age is manifest in everything except religion. 
Even in this the fires of a general revolution are being 
silently ignited, and our present intelligence has become con- 
scious of the frivolous nature of the theories that satisfied 
our fathers, and is no longer willing unconditionally to ac- 
cept the mysterious and inconsistent fables as the voice of 
Him who created all things. To trample upon these old 
traditions, however, which millions have for centuries leant 
upon as their only salvation, few care to attempt even 
though thoroughly satisfied as to their unreliable character; 
but human progress and intelligence advances with irresist- 
ible force, and before many years, as many recent events 
plainly predict, the old Christian dogmas may experience 
enormous transformations. 

Now at this point a few words as to my religious edu- 
cation and experiences may be of interest. I was bom in a 
small village called Sybecarspel, in Nordholland, and was the 
third child of a large family, upon which the kindest care 
was bestowed bymodest, frugal and religious parents. When 
I was still young, my father was induced to leave this little 
place, by a call to a ministry in Germany, where better 
facilities were afforded for educating his large family. The 



Author's Preface. 5 

change in circumstances and habits had but little influence 
on the sincere religious foundation imparted to me- in my 
childhood. 

I remember that when I was about fourteen years of 
age, we children were all gathered about the sick-bed of our 
mother, expecting that every moment she would breathe her 
last. After a time I felt unable to contain my grief, and 
rushed from her presence. In my own room I knelt down 
and prayed fervently, in my childish way, for my dear 
mother's recovery, and for my small brothers and sisters, 
who, but for her recovery, would be left motherless. When 
I arose I felt convinced that my prayer had been heard, and 
its request granted. In more cheerful spirit I returned to 
the sick chamber, where, strange to say, a reaction in my 
parent's condition had really taken place, and from this time 
she rapidly recovered. This and other incidents in which I 
thought that I recognized God's special care, made me feel 
as if I was His favorite; so deep was my religious convic- 
tion even at that early age. 

Soon after this it was decided that my future should be 
devoted to mercantile pursuits, and I entered as an apprentice 
in one of the larger cities of Germany. The Germans, in 
general, are not a religious people, and I was subjected to 
much ridicule on account of my pious observances and conduct. 
The frivolous spirit by which I was surrounded, did not fail to 
affect my youthful mind, and before long I also became imbued 
with the prevailingscepticism, so much so, that in the course 
of a few years, little or notning was left of my early piety. 

It then happened that I accepted a situation as traveller 
for a large house in Norway. The responsibility of my position 
at once led me to be more thoughtful. During my first journey 
through this picturesque country, with its alternate grand and 
lovely pastoral scenery, I was moved again with a spirit of 



6 Authok's Preface. 

reverence for the Creator of such magnificence. My only com- 
panion was a gentlemen holding a similar commercial position, 
but who, as it happened, was very religious. Through his 
conversation I was led back to my childish trust in God, and I 
followed his example of reading the Scriptures every morning 
and evening. I also became a member of the Christian Church, 
missed no prayer meeting or Sabbath service that I could 
possibly attend, and felt extreme delight in the lofty religious 
spirit which possessed me. 

I was then inspired with the idea that the simple life of a 
merchant was no sufficient recompense for the Salvation of my 
soul. I felt that I ought to save others from the eternal dam- 
nation I had so narrowly escaped. I even fancied that I was 
predestined for a higher mission, and that my past career had 
only been cast into such a groove for the purpose of acquaint- 
ing me with the world, that I might the better be able to 
struggle with it for Christ's sake. I ought, it seemed to me, 
to devote my abilities entirely to benefitting my fellows, and, 
if necessary, to sacrifice my life in their behalf, as Jesus Christ 
had done. I concluded to become a missionary to the heathen, 
and prepared a letter to my parents in which I informed them 
of my determination. I hesitated to forward this letter, how- 
ever, as I was not sure that I could administer such a respon- 
sible charge. I intended only a postponement, until I knew 
more of the Word of God and the teachings of Christ. There 
was no doubt in my mind that I had been selected for this 
high mission of carrying the news of salvation to the* heathen. 
I saw visions, and had heavenly dreams, and even fancied that 
I was gifted with supernatural powers. 

As an example of my complete faith at this time, I may 
mention an incident that occurred during one of my journeys. 
I was crossing a treacherous bay on the Norwegian coast, in 
company with the religious friend before mentioned, and a 



Author's Preface. 7 

few others. A heavy storm was raging, from which the high 
mountains, to seme extent, protected us ; but as we approached 
the mouth of the bay, enormous waves came dashing upen cur 
boat, and we were in imminent danger of being swamped or 
dashed upon the rocks. The whole of the passengers were 
affrighted, and I, only, remained undisturbed. I imagined it 
to be merely a trial sent to me by God, and calmly comforted 
my companions, saying, "Be cheerful, friends, we will not 
perish." We passed the dangerous spot, and with difficulty 
arrived at our destination. 

This incident, slight though it may appear, strengthened 
my belief , still more, and I continued zealously to study my 
Bible. The more I studied it, however, the more I became 
unsettled. The conflicting accounts did not trouble me so 
much, because I took into consideration that they were written 
by different people, who might have differed simply in their 
view of the circumstances, and, after a lapse of years, reported 
only what they remembered of them. My most serious per- 
plexity was in regard to the teachings and dogmas attributed 
to Christ, which would not agree with my conception of an 
all wise, infallible and just God — the God as I had imagined 
Him, as I loved Him. 



QUESTIONABLE DOGMAS. 



A few of these dogmas which occasioned me great per- 
plexity I will here state. The principal one attributed to 
Christ is that He descended from heaven that the world 
might be saved. John, Chap. iii. verse 17. u For God 
sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but 
that the world through Him might besaved." Consequently 
we must consider the world as, up to that time, having 
been lost or condemned, and this is confirmed by the fol- 
lowing passage, John, Chap. iii. verse IS. "He that be- 
licveth on Him is not condemned ; but he that believeth not 
is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the 
name of the only begotten Son of God." This doctrine is 
said to mean that up to the appearance of Christ the human 
race could be saved without His mediation, but since His 
appearance, and after the opportunity given of recognizing 
and believing on Him, everyone was "condemned already'' 
that did not accept His representations. But as we know 
that it took considerable time and trouble to make converts 
even at those places where He taught, how could w T e expect 
that all mankind should know about Him at the same 
moment, and derive this promised benefit from His appear- 
ance ? We mu-:t take into consideration that in accordance 
with the doctrine of an all-just and infallible God, the whole 
human race have an equal claim to His mercy, as they are 
all His creatures, and are all, it is said, His equally-beloved 
children. How then does this agree with the very limited 
< pportunity which was given of availing themselves of His 



Questionable Dogmas. 9 

mercy by the coming of Jesus Christ ? This objection could 
be explained away, however, on the theory that all to whom 
this opportunity was not directly given, should have the same 
chance of being saved as they had before Christ's coming; 
or that thev miffht believe on Him after His death and be 
saved as a consequence. But what object could there have 
been in the appearance of Christ if the great, majority of 
mankind could be saved without His active mediation I 

This question becomes still more complicated when we 
consider the position of the Jews, to whom Christ was spe- 
cially sent, for they already possessed divine promises of 
Heaven, if they obeyed the laws laid clown by Moses. If 
they did obey these laws given by God to Moses, the 
Almighty could have no fault to find with them, and what 
need, therefore, to send a divine mediator to them { 

As to the heathen, they could not know of Christ's 
coming, and how, therefore, could they be expected to 
desert their own gods for Him, who was to them a stranger. 
They, according to the divine dogmas we are now discuss- 
ing, would be mercilessly condemned. Fortunately for 
themselves, perhaps, they knew nothing of such partisan 
doctrine. 

But w T e cannot believe that God should be so partial in 
His conduct as to make a special contract with the Jews. 
We cannot believe that He favored them above the people 
of all other creeds, when, according to the Old Testament, He 
could just as easily have saved all His creatures. Much less 
can we believe that He should have renounced all the prom 
ises made to the Jews, as found in the Old Testament, for 
the simple reason that they had continued to obey His laws. 

The object of the appearance of Christ under these cir- 
cumstances, can hardly be explained, because if the Jews 
lived up to the laws submitted to them by God, they would 
receive, after death, all they could desire, and what advan- 
tage, therefore, would a belief in Christ give them over and 
above their fellow- believers of former generations? The 
mission ascribed to Christ is — Matthew, Chap, xviii, verse 11: 



10 Questionable Dogmas^ 

" For the Son of Man is come to save that which was lost." 
Without doubt many of the Jews lived strictly up to the 
laws of Moses, and consequently were saved ; so that the 
mission of Christ could not apply to them. Yet His special 
mission professed to be the salvation of the Jews. How is 
one to reconcile these contradictions? 

Neither does the doctrine as to the impossibility of the 
rich' entering heaven agree with a common sense view of 
the subject. In the first place it is difficult to explain who 
is to be considered as rich. Any surplus above the absolute 
necessities of life may, in one sense, be considered riches. 
In any sense it is but a comparative term, depending upon 
surrounding circumstances. If the richest man gives away 
all he has, the next wealthy man is the richest, and so on 
down to the poorest. If the Bible injunction, to give all to 
the poor was strictly carried out, human progress would 
come to a stand-still ; the desire of gain, that greatest im- 
pulse to industry, would not longer have an object, and 
mankind would sink into the most stoical and fatal indiffer- 
ence. If universal communism was the object of this theory, 
no special recommendation to assist the poor would have 
been necessary. What then, was the object? 

Man has, in the first place, to earn his subsistence. The 
more industrious worker, or in other words, tiie better man, 
by assiduous application acquires greater skill and obtains 
better results than his more indifferent fellow,, and becomes 
rich. According to the Christian theory we are discussing, 
he has, by these well-directed efforts, shut the gates of heaven 
upon himself; while to the lazy and indifferent they are 
always open. 

It will not do to suggest that this doctrine is directed onlv 
to the wickedly rich, because it is the rich, and the rich 
alone, that are expressly mentioned. Notv wealth gives 
the best means of doing good, and if it is employed to add 
to the general welfare, this Bible doctrine of it, must be 
erroneous. Moreover, wealth is an accumulation simply of 
the Creator's products, and why its mere possession should 



Questionable Dogmas. 11 

bean obstacle to getting to heaven is, therefore, incompre- 
hensible. 

Many other doctrines are just as inconsistent. Take, for 
instance. Matthew, Chap, v, verse 4: '-'Blessed are those 
who mourn* for they shall he comforted" Those who have 
something to lose can mourn ; but those who never were 
favored with an v thins: near and dear to them, and conse- 
quently cannot mourn its loss, are, in addition to that mis- 
fortune, deprived of the divine blessing. Those who lose 
anvthins: will mourn without the inducement of a blessing. 

Matthew, Chap, v, verse 5 : ''Blessed are the meek, far 
they shall inherit the earth." This doctrine is totally unin- 
telligible ; for what means the inheritance of the earth, 
and what advantage would it be, from a religious point of 
view, to inherit the earth and not heaven? For if they in- 
herited the earth they would be rich, and that, as has before 
been mentioned, is a fatal bar to heaven. 

Neither can I conceive why some few individuals of that 
time should have had the preferred right of being mirac- 
ulously dealt with, not knowing Christ before or acknowledg- 
ing Him afterwards ; and why others should be converted 
by miracles, when in our present age miracles are needed 
for such conversions just as much, Neither can I conceive 
why miracles should be resorted to as a means of convincing 
those who, after all, would not believe; or why the most 
trifling circumstances should afford the inducement fur such 
miracles, while a few of a more substantial character would 
have had a greater and more impressive effect. The servant 
of the heathen ruler was cured from a distance at the rep- 
resentation of those who did not believe in Christ; the only 
reason given beinsfthat this ruler was civil to the Jews. The 
son of the widow was recalled to life to please his mother; 
Lazarus was raised from the dead because he was a personal 
friend of Christ. 

This special favoritism and the obscurity of these miracles 
always attracted my attention. I could not understand why 
Christ should have availed Himself of such small tricks, as 



12 Questionable Dogmas. 

I may term them, for the saving of the world. There was 
certainly no need for God, who had created all things, to 
show His power in such an insignificant way. 

The most perplexing teachings of all, however, are those 
inculcating perfect subordination to Christ, regardless of ail 
circumstances and consequences. 

Matthew, Chap, viii, verse 21 ; also Luke, Chap, ix, 
verse 59. 

21. And another of His disciples said unto Him, Lord, 
suffer me first to go and bury my father. 

22. But Jesus said unto him, Follow Me ; and let the 
dead bury their dead. 

Luke, Chap. ix. verse 61 : And another said, Lord, 1 
will gladly follow Thee; bid let me first go bid them fare- 
well, which are at home at my house. 

62. And Jesus said unto him, "No man having put his 
hand to the plough, and loohing back, is fit for the Kingdom 
of God." 

These expressions cannot be misunderstood, and they are, 
to my mind, most heartless and cruel. On studying them 1 
was convinced that if they were the doctrines advocated by 
Christ, He could not have been a God sent to save mankind. 
If He demanded that to follow Him, we should recklessly 
sever the most sacred ties, and disregard our affection for 
the living and our respect for the dead, He asked us to be- 
come brutes, incapable of love or human tenderness. Such 
could not be the commands of a messenger sent by an all- 
loving God. 

This, more than any other point, perhaps, led me to dis- 
trust the words of the New Testament, and I had to decide 
whether I should accept such teachings, which made of my 
God a most cruel and unnatural One; or else renounce 
them altogether and follow my own conviction of a good 
and infallibly-just Creator. For many weeks the conflict 
in my mind upon this question was most severe. I had to 
abandon what was once my most sacred belief, my only 
hope of salvation. As a result my ideas of a future glor- 



Questionable Dogmas 13 

ions eternal life were shattered. And in rejecting the 
inspiration of the Scriptures, my faith, even in a God, was 
shaken. I was left without my previous religious consola- 
tion, and life was apparently become aimless. Morality then 
became my only guide. I determined to live and act so 
that, no matter what the future might be, I might enter it 
with a clear record. This was my principle for many years ; 
but it did not satisfy me. I could not bring myself to be- 
lieve that the whole Scripture was a farce, so I made a 
more complete investigation of it; particularly of that por- 
tion upon which Christianity is based. I became convinced 
at last that the greater part is unreliable and unworthy of 
belief; and the result of my examination of the New Tes- 
tament, as set forth in the following pages, will, I believe, 
leave a similar impression upon the mind of the thoughtful 
reader. 



SUPERSTITION AND RELIGION. 



Before passing at once to our consideration of the New 
Testament and the Christian religion, it seems necessary to 
refer briefly to the condition of things anterior to their 
'appearance. Millions of people are reading the Bible and 
admiring the wonderful tales related therein, who do not 
stop to consider that it is the record of a time when reading 
and writing were arts familiar to the very few, and of a 
people steeped in ignorance and superstition. The history 
of events in general were transmitted from mouth to mouth, 
and magnified or altered according to the imagination or 
untruthfulness of those who took upon themselves to per- 
form this duty. All statements in regard to those times 
have, therefore, to be accepted with great caution, because 
the want of proper means of transmitting the record of 
events would prevent the securing, in many instances, of 
original reports. The New Testament originated under 
such circumstances, and the men who originated it, had 
scant facilities for educating their minds, or proper com- 
munication for correctly informing themselves as to what 
happened outside of their immediate surroundings. Why, 
under such circumstances, these writers are to be believed 
on their own representations, when such representations, too, 
are totally opposed to common sense, is a mystery ; and yet 
an enlightened class of society is yet found, who give cre- 
dence to their wonderful tales. Science has shown that in 
the minutely regulated laws of the Universe, no such occur- 
rences could have happened as these writers describe ; but 



Superstition and Religion. 15 

the believers are deaf and blind to such argument. Some 
of the more thoughtful try to explain these mysteries of the 
Scriptures in such a way that the}' may not conflict with 
Nature's immutable laws ; and a few others have been bold 
enough to show the utter impossibility of such unnatural 
occurrences. But both of these have failed to get much of 
a hearing from the believer?, as the latter rely upon the 
simple dogma of the Book itself, that to the Almighty ail 
things are possible. 

It is singular that in our present century, when art and 
science are undergoing snch marvellous develorjments, re- 
ligion so far from advancing, should in general rather retro- 
gade. In the beginning Christianity experienced great 
opposition, and for the most part only ignorant and super- 
stitious people accepted this most mysterious, though most 
promising belief. The Scribes and Pharisees could not be 
convinced of the divine mission of Christ, albeit Christ lived 
among them. But in our age scholars who are thoroughly 
familiar with science, and who are cognizant of its conflict 
with the tales of the Bible, will, nevertheless, adhere to the 
mysteries of that little book, about whose authors we know 
so little that can inspire us with confidence in them. There 
are many, however, even among professing Christians, who 
do not blindly believe in it, and who would follow their 
better judgment and discard it altogether, but for the Deity 
with which it is associated. Some of them upon the evi- 
dence of their own common sense, do dare to discard it. but 
when the hour of trial comes their self-dependence gradually 
depart?, and in their weakness they throw themselves again 
into the arms of the imagined and arbitrary God of Chris- 
tianity. Xo other image of the Deity or man's final destiny 
having been disclosed to them, they yield again to the God 
of Scriptures, and once more accept its unmitigated fabu- 
lousities in silence. This is called the triumph of the Church ; 
it is in reality the weakness of the human mind, and the 
want of a better understanding of a superior power and of 
our ultimate destinv. 



16 Superstition and Religion. 

Such, in general, is the present state of religion in the 
so-called, civilized world. However, a religious inclination 
is innate to all human creation, which tends to a recognition 
of a higher power. This finds expression in various forms, 
in accordance with the character of the people and the sur- 
rounding circumstances. The worshipping of idols, still 
largely practised, is even associated with the idea of a su- 
preme power, while the more civilized the races become, 
the more near perfection becomes the image of a deity. This 
phenomenon is a consequence of evolution, which, in its pro- 
gress, affects religious conceptions equally as arts and 
sciences. When races, generally after long and severe 
struggles, advance in the intellectual scale, the old theories 
and institutions become useless and lose their controlling 
influence ; better and purer ideas are promulgated and 
gradually take their place. 

Such has been the history of all ancient and modern 
religious institutions. Take, for example, the exodus of the 
Israelites out of Egypt. The religious principles recognized 
by a few was the principal cause of this important move- 
ment. The Jews were in captivity; their wrongs, their 
cruel oppression by the Egyptians, their sufferings and 
struggles, helped, possibly, to bring about that development of 
mind and intellect which resulted in the formation of a new 
religious sect. As to the grounds upon which these relig- 
ious theories were adopted, or what directly led to their 
adoption, little can be said. Probably, being slaves, they 
had no opportunity of joining in the Egyptian worship of 
idols; and consequently they became familiar with the 
idea of adoring the idols or the gods they were supposed to 
represent, from a distance, or in mind only. Moses, being 
a Jew, although educated at the Egyptian court, of course, 
shared the feelings of his race, but was able, at trie same 
time, to consider impartially which of the two theories 
would be preferable : the religion of the cold senseless idols, 
or of invisible ideal divinity. He adopted the latter views, 
and formulated the new system of religion thereon, which, 



Superstition and Religion. IT 

in course of time became generally recognized by his people. 
But there does not appear to be any evidence that this 
new religion was general among the Jews before they left 
Egypt, and that it was in consequence of their religion that 
Pharaoh allowed them to go. As soon as they had regained 
their freedom 'they erected a golden calf, after the manner 
of their late masters, and proceeded to return the God it 
represented thanks for their deliverance and pray to it for 
guidance. It was then that Moses appears to have intro- 
duced his new theoiw of one God of the Jews in place of 
the many of the Egyptians, a God of whom no idol could 
be made, of whose perfections the human intellect could 
form no adequate conception. Moses, the leader of the 
people, was the high priest of this God, received His com- 
munications and delivered His commands. He was repre- 
sented as a jealous God, who would permit no idols of any 
kind to detract for the adoration He exacted ; He was aveng- 
ing and cruel, and the people who worshipped Him were 
taught to do so in fear and trembling. To satisfy this angry 
God, burnt offerings were rendered to Him, ?s they had 
been to the Egyptian idols, and expiatory offerings of gold 
and silver and precious things were exacted to avert the 
consequences of His anger. Under these circumstances the 
rich were able to purchase the favors of the Almighty, 
while the poor felt themselves suffering from divine disre- 
gard and neglect. Their grievances were aggravated by 
the haughty bearing of the priests, who had waxed proud 
and rich upon the valuable offerings to their God. The 
natural accumulation of wealth, too, may have caused 
greater oppression to be put upon the to all intent godless 
poor, and as a consequence prophets arose from time to time 
who were bold enough to denounce the wickedness of the 
wealthy and the condition of inequality before God which 
then existed. They warned the rich against their trans- 
gressions and corruption, and prophesied that it would ul- 
timately lead to universal ruin by bringing down upon the 
people the Divine wrath. 



THE APPEARANCE OF CHRIST. 



Jn such a condition as we have here shown, was Judea 
at the time Christ lived. We learn, not only from the New 
Testament, but from other old historians that many prophets 
arose about this time, who went from place to place preach- 
ing of the moral degeneration of the people and calling 
them to repentance. Most of them were only preachers of 
atonement, and adhered strictly to the prophesies and 
dogmas of the old Jewish religion, which, as has before 
been shown, was a barbarous theory of awful retribution. 
The end of the world was near at hand, they said, and all 
the sinful people would perish in the fire which God would 
send to destroy the earth. 

We read in the Bible that God will destroy the earth 
and all its living creatures, simply to revenge Himself upon 
the sinful, and that He will afterward hold judgment over 
both the wicked and righteous. This is not such an awful 
ending after all, although it is certainly most peculiar. It 
is peculiar in, that the Great Judge should punish us first 
and try us afterward ; while the death as described, pos- 
sesses no unusual horrors, for many have died by fire and 
other painful ways; and what will it matter to us when we 
are dead, whether the world continues or not? 

However, this was the general belief; that God would 
destroy the whole world at an early period. But it was 
promised that before the dreaded end should come, the 
Messiah would appear, and those who would repent and 
follow His teachings would be saved thereby from eternal 



The Appearance of Christ. 19 

destruction. This was one idea only of the Messiah. Another 
was that He would be a mighty conqueror, who would *\ib- 
jugate the whole world to the rule of the Jews and the 
Jewish religion. The first mentioned theory was the most 
prominent at the time when Christ appeared, and is even 
generally adhered to at the present time by those who 
strictly believe in the word of the old Scriptures. 

All these prophets or preachers of penance as referred to 
before, would gather a certain number of followers, and 
then sects were formed in the Jewish church through the 
diverse teachings of these men, but subsequently these dif- 
ferences of opinion being of little importance, in the main, 
disappeared. Again at all times these prophets had to en- 
dure much hardship and persecution, because their admo- 
nitions were generally directed against the rich and the 
corrupt rulers, and in favor of the oppressed and suffering 
classes of society. Even the rulers of the temple were 
frequently severely assailed, and we cannot, therefore, con- 
sider it strange that these agitators, when they became 
troublesome, and even dangerous, in respect to existing 
laws and customs, were persecuted and frequently killed in 
order to get them out of the way. 

Neither can we wonder at this barbarity of former years, 
as, up to the present century such proceedings have been 
repeated thousands of times, even against peaceful persons? 
when they failed to agree in the religious opinion of the 
majority. It is only in the present, generation that a more 
liberal spirit has gained ground, enforcing the right of 
every one, to think and act as he chooses so long as they do 
not interfere with the rights of others. 

Two of these former prophets, many of whom are known 
to us only by name, met with remarkable success in their 
preachings, so much so that a large part of the population 
of the Globe, at present, practice their doctrines and adore 
them as divinities. These two are John the Baptist and 
Jesus Christ. Their success, however natural it may have 
been brought about, is attributed by believers to the super- 



20 Thf Appearance of Cueist. 

natural providence of God, worked for the special benefit 
of humanity. It arose, however, from certain special, 
though widely diverse doctrines of the Old Testament, and 
from the circumstances under which, and the places where 
these doctrines in the beginning obtained a foothold. Even 
the name of John the Baptist would probably not have 
been made known to us, if his name and teachings had not 
been cunningly interwoven with the life of Christ. This was 
done partly in order to verity certain dark intimations of 
the Old Testament, but more specially to make capital out 
of the undeniable success and strong influence which he 
achieved during his lifetime, and to strengthen the belief in 
the alleged Messiah, Jesus Christ. For the justification of 
this allegation we have ample evidence, which will be 
adduced in the course of the discussion. 

The teachings of Christ, it should be observed, were 
entirely different from those of John the Baptist, according 
to the evidence of the Evangelists themselves. Matthew, 
Chap, iii, verse 2, quotes John the Baptist -as preaching 
in the wilderness of Judea : " Repent ye : for the Kingdom 
of heaven is at hand." Luke, Chap, iii, verse 7 : " gener- 
ation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath 
to come?" Mark, Chap, i, verse 4: "John did baj)tize in 
the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the 
remission of sins." John, therefore, was a preacher of 
penitence, like all former prophets, whilst Christ was a 
preacher of new doctrines and a new religion. He especial- 
ly sympathized with the poor and suffering class of society, 
and to them preached patience, mercy, obedience, and hu- 
mility. He consoled and promised them that they should 
be rewarded after death tor all their sufferings. James, 
Chap, i, verse 12 : " Blessed is the man that endureth temp- 
tation, for, when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life 
which the Lord promised to them that love HimP Chap, vi, 
verse 10 : " Humble yourselves in the sight of God, and' He 
shall lift you up." Chap, vi, verse 7 : " Submit yourselves 
therefore to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you." 



The Appearance of Christ. 21 

John only preached repentance. He called upon all to 
be saved, through repentance, from the wrath of a vengeful 
God, the. God of the Jews, while Christ preached a loving 
and merciful God. This latter dogma certainly caused a 
new conception of the Deity, and became the foundation of 
a new religion. Great indeed was this new idea of a God, 
only good and merciful. These doctrines, however, were 
not the only cause of His success. He was a friend of the 
afflicted and strongly denounced the rich and the ruling 
classes of society, which, in itself, was sufficient to gain for 
him a largemeed of popularity. James, Chap, v, verses 1-4 

Go to vow, ye rich men, weejj and ho vol for your miseri-es 
that shall come upon you. 

2. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are 
moth-eaten. 

3. Your gold and silver is cankered / and the rust of them 
shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it 
were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last day*. 

4. Behold, the hire of the laborers which have reaped down 
your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth; and 
the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears 
of the Lord of sabaoth. 

5. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wan- 
ton ; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. 

This, of course, was the language to please the poor, 
envious and dissatisfied people. kX all times those who 
have known how to console and sympathize with the poor 
and ignorant classes, in opposition to the industrious and 
wealthy, have been the idols of the former, and soon gained 
many adherents. Even at the present time, if any one will 
stand up for them, and if he have the talent to impress them 
with glowing promises, though he be the greatest scoundrel, 
and totally incapable of fulfilling such promises, yet will 
acknowledge him as their saviour and leader, and gladly 
follow his teachings. In this respect Christ was a socialist, 
as we would now call Him, and from this lie derived the 
great influence which He exercised. 



22 The Appearance op Chkist. 

This characteristic of Christ we observe, not only in what 
is said by Peter and James direct, but also from the state- 
ments of the Evangelists, who revealed, in general, the 
spirit of Christ's teachings. Mark, Chap. x. verse 21. "One 
thing thou lackest j go thy way sell whatever thou hast and 
give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven?' 

This doctrine naturally excited hatred against the wealth- 
ier class and the rulers and dignitaries of the temple, and 
being, moreover, dangerous to the maintenance of social 
rule and order—however much of it might be based on 
religious principles— those holding it, naturally suffered 
great persecution, and some few were made martyrs to 
their belief— for which, however, they were to receive 
glory in heaven. 

We cannot suppose that Christ was aware of the revolu- 
tionary spirit He inspired by preaching such doctrine. He 
wandered quietly and in an unassuming way among the 
people, counselling, advising, and teaching everywhere the 
poorer people to put their trust in God. No hate or evil 
was in Him ; He only wished to point out the way to heaven. 
Can we be surprised, then, that this man, who would suffer 
insult and persecution without a murmur, even praying for 
His enemies and those who injured Him, should be idolized 
by His followers and generally regarded as a superior being? 
He suffered severe persecution, and willingly gave His own 
life for the salvation of sinners, in full confidence of re- 
ceiving commensurate reward from His God. 



THE LIFE OF CHRIST, 



Very little indeed is known to us of the life aftd action 
of this remarkable man that we can accept as reliable. The 
several reports of the evangelists, which are supposed to 
relate the same proceedings, are only very short; and con- 
sist to a great extent of teachings, and parables, and won- 
drous stories. There are in them but little of the real life 
and work of Christ. The most prominent feature, of course, 
is the consummation of what they allege to be His divinely- 
appointed mission— -His death for the sins of the w 7 orld< 

About His birth we have only vague and confused 
reports. From a few hints we may suppose that His father 
was a carpenter, and that He had brothers and sisters living, 
Such facts are readily kept in circulation, and are generally 
well remembered, 

Most probably He was born at Hazareth, in Galilee* as 
He was generally known by the name of the Nazarene, 
He was known to John as Jesus the Nazarene only. The 
reports of Matthew and Luke, as regards the birth of Christ 
at Bethlehem, in Judea, we cannot consider reliable, and 
we must regard them, as will be shuwn later on in this 
Work, simply as a distortion of facts to fit in with some 
intimations of the Old Testament. Therein are expected 
certain dark indications that the Messiah would be born of 
the line of David, and at the great king's birthplace, and 
these two historians of Christ therefore described the cir* 
cumstances attending Christ's appearance on earth as hav- 
ing transpired at Bethlehem instead of Nazareth. 



24 The Life of Christ. 

Nazareth was a quiet little place, and beautifully situated. 
It .was a pretty valley, surrounded on either side with vine- 
clad hills, and we can easily imagine how quiet and tran- 
quil its life must have been, compared with the populous 
cities of Judea and Galilee, agitated and degenerated, 
politically and religiously, as they were. The vices of the 
larger cities, and especially of the capital, Jerusalem — the 
centre of the wealth and commerce of Judea — had prob- 
ably not, much affected the life and morals of the inhabitants 
of this little place. They, in all likelihood, consisted entirely 
of small farmers, shepherds, and a few enjoyed the more 
modest mechanical pursuits, and little excitement ever 
disturbed their peaceful habits. 

The Jews were then, as at present, sincerely devoted to 
their traditional religion, and we may believe that in snch 
a place the devotion would be purer and more sincere than 
in the larger cities, where constant temptation and bad 
example do so much to corrupt the multitude. 

In this peaceful place Christ passed the days of His 
childhood, in undisturbed tranquility. He probably had 
good and moral parents, and grew up to manhood imbued 
with the most tender feelings, together with a strong sense 
of justice, and the purest conception of God and religion. 
He probably, according to custom, went at intervals to 
Jerusalem with His parents, when they repaired there to 
make their offerings in the Temple, and on these occasions 
caught glimpses of that intenser life which characterizes 
important centres of commerce and population. Being in- 
telligent and pure in mind, He quickly observed the 
rottenness and corruption of its society, its hypocrisy, its 
dissipation, and learned to abhor it. 

This feeling of abhorrence for the things that are bad, 
naturally brought Him in contact with some of the prophets, 
who had arisen to preach against the immorality and God- 
lessness of the people. He may have heard the fervid 
words of John the Baptist, and believing his doctrine to the 
full, probably have been baptized by him. Then, after this 



The. Life of Christ. 25 

awakening of His spirit, or strengthening of His convictions, 
it might have been — He felt that He could no longer look 
on at all this wickedness around Him, that He, also, must 
do something to warn His fellow-beings of the precipice 
toward which, in the blindness of their sin, they were rush- 
ing, and so Pie came to stand up among them as a preacher. 

Having himself lived but in moderate circumstances He 
was familiar with the afflictions of the poor, and toward 
them he was especially affectionate. The candor of His 
mind and His sincere religions spirit, gave Him strength and 
pi. wer to speak, and His ability to minister cheerful con- 
solation to those who suffered, brought large attendance. 
His . success may soon have inspired Him with the idea, 
that He was especially commissioned by God for this' high 
office of teacher and prophet, and the more exalted would 
His utterances beco ne in consequence. The responsibility 
of the position He had assumed would also have made Him 
careful of His conduct, and this, combined with His natural 
kindness and purity of character, would render Him sublime 
among men of His time and explain the reverence with 
which they crowded round Him. 

In His religious exaltation He may have felt Himself 
drawn nearer toward His imagined God, and being honored 
and adored by a multitude, might have become possessed 
with the idea that He really was a superior being; that He 
really was the promised and long expected Messiah, the 
King of the Jews, as David was ; not, however, of this 
world, but of that which is to come. 

Such unnatural delusions are not exceptional. They are 
frequently met with in daily life, in a more or less exalted 
form, and whenever it assumes a definite character we call 
it mania. Generally sueh a condition is brought about by 
excitement, or over strain of the brain. 

A similar condition of mind was experienced by the 
author himself, who, as already stated, at one time labored 
under the delusion that He was one destined for a higher 
mission, namely, to be a missionary and perhaps a martyr 



26 The Life of Christ. 

in the cause of Christianity. Christ, perhaps affected with 
a similar idea, wandered around vouchsafing blessings and 
benedictions to all who were devoted to Him, consoling the 
sick and giving good advice to the afflicted. His words 
may frequently have had a beneficial effect, and even if 
they did not, it would be imagined that they had ; and in 
this way the report probably gained ground that he healed 
the sick through His words. Even in our present age 
similar legends are believed in. 

His heroic death as a martyr sealed His course. He had 
sacrificed Himself for the benefit of Humanity, and had al- 
legorically taken the sins of others upon Him. To those 
who would trust in Him he was a saviour. His adopted 
character was established. 



EXPLANATIONS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 



JUDE. 



The most reliable documents of the life of Christ and His 
teachings, are the letters from His apostles, James, John 
and Peter. The reports from them are the most trust- 
worthy, and are not so extreme in their statements, as some 
of the other reports. We mast consider it a peculiar cir- 
cumstance that these documents are placed at the end of 
the New Testament, which leads to the suspicion that they 
were purposely arranged in this way, by those who compiled 
the Scriptures, in order to abate or lessen the importance 
of the testimony they contain — which, as we have said, is 
truthful, but exceedingly moderate. 

The last of these letters is from Jude, who, evidently, 
was not an apostle and never saw Christ, therefore, this 
communication is of little value in regard to Christ, But 
relative to other matters, his testimony is of importance, 
and may well be considered here. 

The very first sentence of the letter says : Chap, i, verse 
1 ; "Jude, the servant of Christ and the brother of James, 
to them that we are sanctified ly God the Father, and pre- 
served in Jesus Christ.'^ This expression evidently shows 
that Christ had some selected apostles, who were held to be 
more sanctified than His other followers- Jude himself 
was not one of these sanctified, even if he was a brother of 
James, as he states ; because if so, he would not have referred 
to his brother as being one of the sanctified. 



28 Jude. 

We may even assume that he never had seen or heard 
Christ, for he says — Jude, Chap, i, verse 17. " But beloved, 
remember ye the words which were spoken before the apostles 
of our Lord Jesus Christ" If he had heard the words, he 
would not have referred to the Apostles, but would speak 
of what he had himself heard, which he surely would have 
remembered better than words repeated to him by others. 

He must, however, have had great confidence in Christ, 
believing sincerely in His saving power; for he says : Jude, 
Chap, i, verse 21. "Keep yourselves in the love of God, 
looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ into eternal 
life." 

In the beginning of Christianity it seems that the adopted 
character of Christ as the Son of God, the long-promised 
Messiah, and King of the Jews, with all the glory assigned 
to those characters, was not generally recognized, as Jude 
appears not to have known or to have believed in it. In 
concluding his message he alone refers to God. Jnde, Chap. 
i. verse 25. " To the only wise G d, our Saviour, be glory and 
majesty, dominion and power, both 'now and ever. 

The whole epistle gives us almost his exact idea about 
Christ. He always speaks of Jesus Christ as his Lord and 
superior Master, but of glory and majesty to the only God. 
He has great veneration for Christ, and believes Him to 
have superior grace with God, but to judge from his style of 
writing, is not impressed at all with the idea of His super- 
natural power and character. 

And there is this feature of his writings that cannot fail 
to attract attention, namely, that while he makes distinct 
references to the wonders recorded in the Old Testament — 
the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the contention of 
the archangel Michael with the devil, and the miraculous 
deliverance of the Jews out of Egypt — he does not allude to 
a single wonder attributed to Christ. He does not seem to 
know anything about them. He does not even mention 
a single doctrine or ordinance of Christ; but refers only to 
the wonders and ordinances of the Old Testament, where 



Jude. 29 

God rewards or punishes His people according to their 
desserts. 

That. Jude, the brother of James, the Apostle of Christ, 
who lived at the same time with Him; who not only was 
converted and believed in Christ, but even preached in His 
name, should not mention a single incident in the life of 
Christ, nor any of the doctrines or commandments attributed 
to him, leaves us in a state of uncertainty, indeed, as to 
what was the prevalent opinion of Christ during His lifetime. 

From this we must conclude that Christ was looked upon 
as a prophet — as one of the many prophets of those times — 
that He had His followers who adored Him, and ascribed to 
Him special grace with God. ~No extraordinary occurrence, 
however, according to this testimony, appears to have hap- 
pened during His lifetime to verify His alleged divine mission. 

Christ may have himself believed in his supernatural 
character, and this also may have been believed by a large 
part of His followers, but none of the Apostles except John 
give evidence of any conception of this kind; and surely 
James would have inspired his brother with this opinion, 
if he himself had been convinced of it. Jude, in his letter, 
clearly shows us the original teachings and character of 
Christ: a preacher of atonement to the glorification of God, 
and a reviver of the old religion, which at those times was 
probably sadly corrupted. He attributes nothing super- 
natural to him. He considers Him only a prophet of the 
Jews, like many before Him, and selected to this 
mission by God. We need not wonder that Jude believed 
Him to be a superior human being, one selected by God 
for a special work, because at those times it was. a generally- 
accepted doctrine that God personally interfered with the 
actions of men ; that He sent angels as messengers or as 
guardians to them ; and that He selected from among men 
those, who should speak His word on earth. The convic- 
tion of Jude, therefore, that Christ was specially selected 
by God for His mission, we cannot consider strange or un- 
warrantable. 



30 James. 

JAMES. 



The author of the letter attributed to James we can have 
no doubt was the apostle of Christ, of whom also Jude 
testifies. James followed Christ on His wanderings, and 
was therefore thoroughly conversant with his teachings and 
ideas. He was certainly, judging from his style of writing, 
a good-hearted man, as there is no doubt Christ Himself 
was. Pie had found in Christ the man of his heart, good 
in mind and pure of morals ; Christ's teachings had his 
sincere approval, and the attachment he entertained for 
Him was unlimited. He even considered Christ superior 
to himself, and called him his Lord all through this epistle. 

From James we obtain a more perfect idea of the teach- 
ings and doctrine of Christ. For instance : James, Chap, 
i, verse 2: u My brethren, count it all joy, when you fall 
into d 'vers tempt a\ f ions. Knowing this, that the trying of 
your faith worketh patience ." and so on, giving the power 
and glory exclusively to God. Chap. i. verses 5 and 6: 
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God * * * * * 
" JBut let him ask in faith, nothing wavering" We observe 
here his idea of God There is in it no element of idolatry ; 
it is the plain imagining of a great, good, and merciful 
God, who will do all for us, if we trust entirely in Him. 

According to the doctrines of the Old Testament God 
was adored as a strong and almighty ruler, a chastening 
and a revengeful God, and offerings had to be brought to 
His place of resort — -which the Temple was represented as 
being — to reconcile Him. James, however, adopting per- 
haps, the doctrines of Christ in regard to this point, repre- 
sents Him as a good, merciful and invariably just God, 
and as dwelling in heaven only. He says Chap, i, verse 
17 : " Every good gif and every perfect gift is from above, 
and' cometh down, from the Father of Lights, with whom is 
no variableness, neither shadow of turning." We are, he 
goes on to say, to exert ourselves to please Him, and to 



James. 31 

patiently bear all tortures visited upon us, for His sake, 
Chap, v, verse 10: " Take, my brethren, the prophet*, who 
have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of 
suffering affliction and of patience. Behold, we count them 
happy ichieh endure" 

All adoration and veneration was to be directed to God 
only, for whose sake so many had already suffered. This 
was the great idea of the new doctrine. In connection with 
this idea were the glorious prospects of the future — which 
for the poor and suffering people were especially glorious— 
and the damnation of the rich, who had already received 
their reward on earth. 

This formed the foundation of the principles of the new 
sect 

Chap. i. verse 12: " Hearken, ray beloved brethren, Bath 
not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and 
of the kingdom which lie hath promised to them that 
him t 

6. But ye A ace despised the pjocr. Do not rich men 
oppress you. i w you before the judgment seeds?'' 

Chap, i, verse ] 1 : For the sun is no sooner risen with a 
burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower there- 
qffatteth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth : so 
also shall the rich man fade in his ways. 

Chap. v. verse 1, 2 and S: Go to now, ye rich men, weep 
and howl for your miseries thud shall come upon you. 

2. Your riches art corrupted, and your garments are 
moth -eat 

3. Your gohl and sU vnkered / and the rust qfihem 
shall be a witness against yen/, and shall eat your flesh as it 

jure. Y home heaped treasure together for the List days. 
This fearful condemnation of all the rich is entirely a social- 
istic principle, and although in contrast with the teach- 
ings of patience, humility and love to each other, is calculated 
to excite the fanatics and enthusiasts among the poor. His 
teachings in general, however, were extracts from the old 
laws and commandments. 



32 James. 

Chap, ii, verse 8 : If ye fulfil the royal law according to 
the Scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself ye do 
well : 

10. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend 
in one point, he is guilty of all. 

Chap, iv, verse 12 : There is one lawgiver, who is able to 
save, and to destroy : who art thou that judgest another f 

Only faith in God and doing the works of the law would 
justify. 

Chap, ii, verse 2i : Ye see then how that by ivories a man 
is justified, and not by faith only. 

25. Likewise also, was not Rhahab the harlot justified by 
works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent 
them out another way. 

Bv all tin's James shows himself to be a thorough 
and unprejudiced Israelite. The old prophets were his 
witnesses, and the law and commandments of the Old 
Testament his doctrines. God is his only Supreme Being, 
to whom only we have to direct ourselves; in his judgment, 
and he does not allude at all to Christ and His alleged 
divine character and power. He only believes in Christ as 
his earthly Lord and Master ; a Prophet of the Jews, elected 
by God to this mission, and was a friend of God, in the 
same way, as Elias, Job and Abraham were. 

Chap, ii, verse 11 : And the Scripture was fulfilled which 
saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him 
for righteousness : and lie was called the Friend of God. 

Chap. v. verse 23: Behold, we count them happy which 
endure. Ye have heard of the patimce of Job, and have 
seen the end of the Lord ; that the Lord is very pitiful and 
of tender mercy. 

We may even admit that James held Christ to be greater 
than all former prophets, and attributed to him the highest 
reverence as an inspired prophet; but we cannot find the 
slightest trace of his having believed Christ to be a divine 
or supernatural character. 

Chap, ii, verse 1 : My brethren, have not the faith of 



James. 33 

our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of 
persons. 

Chap, v, verse 15. And the prayer of faith shall save the 
sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have com- 
mitted sins, they shall he forgiven him. 

He glorifies the Lord only, for His tenderness and pitiful- 
ness, and praises Him highly, but does not allude to a 
single wonder attributed to Christ, or make mention of any 
doctrine or parable attributed to Him of which we have 
so many in other parts of the Testament, Instead, thereof, 
he refers to the Old Testament, and cites the wonders re- 
corded there. 

Chap, v, verse 17. Elia-s was a man subject to like pas- 
sions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not 
rain; and it rained not on the earth by the space of three 
years and six months. 

18. And he prayed again, and tJw heaven gave rain, and 
the earth brought forth her fruit. 

The testimony of James gives us a perfectly clear idea of 
his opinion of the character of Christ, and the absence of 
any reference to the miracles, special doctrines, and divine 
adoration of Christ must be taken as satisfactory evidence 
that nothing of this kind was known to him, as he most as- 
suredly would have alluded to them, had they come under 
his observation or even to his knowledge. 

Even the opinion that Christ was a prophet is not proven, 
jo far as his writings show, by any particular evidence ; 
and it must therefore be accepted as a suggestion merely. 
As all teachers of new doctrines have their followers, so 
James was a follower of Christ, and was inspired by His 
ways and teachings to believe Him, what He represented 
Himself to be, which, however, is far from a divine char- 
acter. 



34 *1ohn\ 

JOHN. 



The Epistles. 

We can have no doubt that the author of these letters was 
John, the Apostle of Christ, and to whom they also are 
generally attributed. To prove this is difficult, but his un- 
assuming and devoted manner of writing, and his evident 
intimate relation to other members of the new church, who 
are also mentioned by other writers, is satisfactory evidence 
that he was a recognized dignitary of this church. There- 
fore, as we should not reject the authenticity of any part 
without good reason ; we must concede that John was the 
real author of these epistles. 

He certainly was a sincere religious man, with most ten- 
der feelings. This is proved by the extremely humble, 
devoted and unassuming style of his communications. He 
was thoroughly captivated by the highly sentimental spirit 
of Christ, and absolutely convinced of His divine mission. 
He even bestows upon Him the title of Son of God, which 
is in consonance with the exalted and visionary character he 
exposes in all his expressions. He commences his intro- 
duction in most lofty words. 

John 1, Chap, i, verse 1. That which was from the begin- 
ning, which ice have heard, which we have seen with our 
eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have han- 
dled, of the Word of life • 

2. {For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and 
hear witness, and show unto you that eternal life which was 
with the Father, and was manifested unto us.) 

His imagination carries him still further. Christ, lie says, 
was not only Son of God, but part of Him ; and with the 
twain John himself even claims to have fellowship. 

I, Chap, i, verse 3. That which we have seen and heard 
declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with 
us / and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with 
His Son Jesus Christ. 



John. 35 

John's conception of Christ, it will be observed, is entirely 
different from that of any of the other apostles. He has the 
most exalted image of Him. Christ to him, is no preacher 
of atonement or prophet, but an independent divine spirit, 
with absolute dominion over all things that are. 

I, Chap, i, verse 7. But if we walk, in the light, as He is 
in the light, tve have fellowship one with another, and the 
blood of His Son Jesus Christ eleanseih us from all sin. 

9. If we confess our sins,, He is faithful and just to for- 
give us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness* 

I, Chap, iv, verse 2. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God : 
Every spirit thai confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the 
flesh, is of God. 

Wo must, however, take well into consideration that these 
letters were written long alter the death of Christ, which 
is proved by John's reference to Grajus and Diotrephns, con- 
verts of later date. We can hardly believe that the fore- 
going represents his original opinion about Christ, but must 
assume that the idea of His divinity was developed gradually 
with the increasing exalted condition of mind, that at the 
issue of the revelation had reached its climax of imagination 

CD 

and confusion. 

Intimations of some special doctrines of Christ, wq 
have from him, but these have reference to God only. 
These doctrines he styles messages, and they may really be 
the doctrines of Christ Himself. 

I, Chap, i, verse 5. This then is the messcoge which we 
have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, 
and in Him is no darkness at all. 

Chap, ii, verse 15. love not the world, neither the things 
that are in the world. If any man love the world, the 
love of the Father is not in him. 

Chap. iv. verse 12. JVb man hath seen God at any time. 
If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is 
perfected in us. 

John's remark that he has no new commandments may 
be proof that Christ did not introduce any new doctrines, 



36 John. 

such as the Divine Trinity, which, therefore, must have been 
au interpretation of John. 

I, Chap, ii, verse 7. Brethren, I write no new command- 
ment unto you, hut an old commandment which ye had. from 
the beginning. The old co?nmandment is the word which ye 
have heard from the beginning. 

In contradistinction to this thus, we have Chap, v, verse 7. 
" For there are those that bear record in heaven, the Father \ 
the Word, and the Holy Ghost / and these three are oneP 
The exact nature of this Holy Ghost remains an enigma; 
the idea of it, no doubt, sprung from the greater or less 
devotional entanglement and religious imaginings from 
which John seems to have especially suffered. He does 
not say what it is, but simply calls it a spirit. This, how- 
ever, is not the only spirit of his imagination. 1, Chap. iv y 
verse 1. " Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the 
spirits whether they are of God, because many false proph- 
ets are gone into the world y hereby ye know the spirit of 
God. Every spirit that confesseih that Jesus Christ is come 
in the flesh, is of God?' 

Probably John was a spiritualist, and believed that 
every thought was inspired by spirits, and consequently, 
God also, must be represented by a spirit ; to this, John 
gave the name of the Holy Ghost. This idea of the God- 
head, however, is not referred to either by Peter, James or 
Jude,»and it therefore must also have been of later date. 

The only new theory about religion which he pretends to 
reveal, is that the darkness of spiritual ignorance which 
overshadowed the world, has passed away. I, Chap, ii, 
verse 8. •' Again a new commandment I write unto you 
which thing is true m Him mid you, because the darkness is 
passed and true light now shineth" Those who believe, he 
elevates even to a sublime relation to God. 

Chap, iii, verse 1. Behold what manner of love the Father 
hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons 
of God! therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew 
Him not. 



John. 37 

He seems, however, to have been well aware that the 
people, in general, would not recognize his revelation. 

Although we may admit that John was a candid believer 
in Christ, and that all he wrote and spoke was in accordance 
with this sincere conviction, nevertheless, we must object 
to the correctness of his theories which were not in accord 
with those of the other apostles, and in regard to which he 
experienced strong opposition at the time when he recalled 
them. According to his own statement, many who had 
been converted to these theories, afterwards deserted or dis- 
avowed them. These deserters John called anti-Christs. 

I, Chap, ii, verse 18. Little children, it is the last time: 
and, as ye have heard that anti- Christ shall come, even now are 
there many anti-Christs ; whereby we know that it is the 
last time. 

19. They went out from us, but they were not of us • for 
if they had been of us. they would no doubt have continued, 
with us : but they went out, that they might be made mani- 
fest that they were not all of us. 

Ill, Chap, i, verse 9. U I wrote unto the church, but 
Diotrephus, who loveth to heme pr eminence among them, re- 
ceiveth its not." 

John also was mistaken in believing that the u last time 55 
was near, because of the appearance of these anti-Christs, or 
false " prophets " who especially disputed the theories ap- 
pertaining to Christ. I, Chap, vi, verse 1. " Because .many 
false prophets are gone into the world." II, Chap, i, verse 7. 
" For many deceivers are entered into the world who con- 
fess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a 
deceiver and Anti- Christ." Perhaps many of these prophets, 
or teachers of other theories, may have exercised an influ- 
ence equal to that of John, which may account for the acerb- 
ity of his accusations. He not only terms them anti-Christs, 
but also calls them liars and deceivers. I, Chap ii, verse 
22. " Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the 
Christ? Tie is Anti-Christ that denieth the Father and the 
Son" 



88 John. 

These anti-Christs were probably as severe in their. denun- 
ciations of the Christians, as John was against them and their 
followers. John was, no doubt, right from his point of view* 
that they were deceivers, having himself accepted the be- 
lief that Christ w T as God's only Son, and the Saviour of the 
world ; and if we unreservedly believe in John, we have 
to acknowledge the truth of his doctrines. How T ever, since 
he himself admits that the opposition and disbelief of these 
doctrines was so great at a time when the actions and 
death of Christ ought to have been still in good remem- 
brance, and when the alleged miracles should have been 
convincing evidence unto every one, then we are justified 
in asking, what the real of this opposition must have been, 
before also we accept his revelations unreservedly. 

The argument may probably be advanced that the success 
of the Christian church is the best proof of its validity and 
a confirmation of John's revelations. But this argument 
has no foundation, as Mohammedanism, for instance, met 
with great success, and was largely supported for centuries 
later. Neither can we suppose that the doctrines of John, 
as expressed in his letters, were so generally recognized and 
adopted, as he would have us believe. The Christian 
church probably progressed to some extent under the re- 
formed Jewish doctrines, taught, by Peter, James, Jude and 
others. The letters of John, however, were probably re- 
ceived only by few communities, and later, when the whole 
Scriptures were collected and compiled,, some of his new 
doctrines were extracted from them. 

We may even argue that the doctrines of the present 
Christian church are entirely at variance with those of the 
first Christian church, if we take the testimony of the other 
apostles as evidence. If, In forming our judgment upon 
the credibility to be attached to the doctrines of John, we 
take into consideration his highly exalted and visionary 
spirit, in connection with the weakness of the arguments 
adduced by him to justify his belief, then we may reason- 
ably become distrustful. His arguments to prove the al- 



Johx. 39 

ieged character of Christ, are most equivocal and absurd, 
and as they depend entirely upon the testimony of one 
other, and no actual proof is adduced, they are of no con- 
sequence. 

I, Chap, v, verse 6. " This is He thai came by water and 
blood, even Jetus Christ / not fty water only. Imt by water and 
Mood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the 
Spirit is truth. 

S. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the 
spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree 
in erne. 

9. If u:e receive the icitness of men, the witness of God is 
greater • for this is the icitness of God which He hath testi- 
fied of His Son. 

10. He thai believeth on the Sofi of God hath the witness 
in himself: he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; 
because he believetli not the record that God gave of His Son. 

20. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath 
given as an under •standing, thai we may know Him that is 
true; and v:e are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus 
Christ. This is the true God. and eternal life. 

^Te observe here that a belief in God is the foundation; 
a belief in the God who recorded the coming of Jesus Christ 
in the Old Testament. Consequently, we tirst have to believe 
in the prophecies of the Old Testament, and those who re- 
ject this mass of nonsense, reject God and Christianity, and 
make of God a liar. 

The absence of any reference to the miracles attributed 
to Christ is, in the letter of John, particularly striking. 
They would be the only tangible testimony by which to 
demonstrate tfhe divinity of Christ; and yet this most im- 
portant testimony, it* any there was, he neglects to cite. 
There can be no doubt that he saw, and indeed lived with 
Christ, a6 he refers to this frequently, (which also will be 
shown later) and that he does not allude to any of the mir- 
acles here, shows, either that he did not know of them, or 
was not convinced that they were miracles. I, Chap, i, 



40 John. 

verse 2. " For the life is manifest, and we have seen it, and 
bear witness." I, Chap, i, verse 5. " This is the message we 
have heard of Him and declare unto you" I, Chap, vi, verse 
14. "And we have seen and do testify, that the Father sent 
the Son to be the Saviour of the vjorld. " He d oes ci te th e fabl e 
in reference to Cain, but nothing of the kind in regard to 
Christ. I, Chap, iii, verse 12. " Not as Cain, who was of 
the wicked one and slew his brother. And Wherefore slew 
he h ; m? Because his own work were evil, and his brother* 
righteous." 

The shallowness of John's mind, on the other hand. \a 
shown in the following selection from his communications. 
II, Chap, i, verse 1. " The elder vnto the select Lady and her 
children whom Hove in the truth" I, Chap, i, verse 4. "I 
rejoice greatly that I found thy children walking in the 
truth" I, Chap, ii, verse 12. '' / write unto you little chil- 
dren, because your sins are forgiven you fm i His name's sake" 
I, Chap, ii, verse 13. u I write unto you fathers.; I write 
unto you young men, etc" I, Chap, v, verse 31. " Little 
children keep yourselves from, idols" II, Chap, i, Yerse 13. 
" The children, of thy elect, sisters, greet thee." Ill, Chap, 
i, verse 4. u L have no greater joy than to hear my children 
walk in the truth." 

We may well believe that John was good-hearted, in- 
offensive and simple-minded, and that the mildness of his 
character won the love of all who surrounded him, and also- 
made him the specially beloved apostle of Christ, for which 
he is praised so much. He was, however, highly visionary 
and imaginative, a common characteristic of such unsub- 
stantial minds. 

It is also of importance that we should consider the time 
when John wrote his epistles, in order to determine the 
likelihood of any change in his ideas having taken place 
since the first impressions he received on the subject from 
Christ. From the people to whom he refers in this epistle, 
it will be seen from the epistles of Paul and Luke's "Acts," 
that it must have been written long after the death of 



Peter. 41 

Christ. See John, III, Chap, i, verse 9; "Romans, Chap, 
xvi, verse 23; 1 Corinthians I, Chap, i, verse 14; Acts, 
Chap, xviv, verse 29 ; Acts, Chap, xviv, verse 24. This 
lapse of years and the increasing mysteries about Christ 
could not have been without effect on John, who especially 
on account of his peculiarly shallow nature, must have been 
influenced by suggestions and illusions, in consequence of 
which, any exaggeration and distortion may be easily ex- 
plained. 



Petkr. 



Peter is an ardent believer in Christ as the Son of God, 
who was sent from heaven to call the faithful to earthly 
virtue and heavenly glory, a mission which was sealed by 
His death and kodily or spiritual resurrection. 

I, Chap, i, verse 3. " Blessed he the God and, Father of 
our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant 
mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resur- 
rection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 

II, Chap, i, verse 3. According as His divine power hath 
given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, 
through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory 
and virtue. 

Peter is the faithful and straightforward apostle of Christ, 
who is confident that he was especially elected by his God 
to the high mission of an apostle to His Son the Saviour of 
the world. In this conviction he spc3aks in proud terms of 
himself. 

I, Chap, i, verse 1. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to 
the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappa- 
docia, Asia and Bithynia, Elect, according to the foreknowl- 
edge of God the Father, through the sanctifi 'cation of the 
Spirit unto the obedience and sprinkling of the blood of 
Jesus Christ J Grace be unto you and peace be 'multiplied. 



42 Peter. 

He had probably originally belonged to the old orthodox 
sect and believed strictly in all that was written in the old 
Scripture, which was well known to him. That Christ was 
the expected Messiah which the old prophets had mentioned, 
was evidently clear to him. He believed that in Christ 
these prophecies were really fulfilled. 

I, Chap, i, verse 10. Of which salvation the prophets have 
enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the 
grace that should come unto you : 

II. Searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit 
of Christ which ivas in them did signify, when he testified 
beforehand the suffering of Christ and the glory that should 

follow. 

II, Chap, i, verse 20. Knowing this first, that no prophecy 
of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. 

Peter in these deliberations evidently referred to the fol- 
lowing passages of Isaiah, a? there are no other prophecies 
reflecting on the life of Christ which so exactly lit in with 
this statement. 

Isaiah, Chap, liii, verse 3. He is despised aud rejected of 
men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief ; and 
we hid, as it were, our faces from Him y He was despised, 
and we esteemed Him not. 

7. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened 
not His mouth ; He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, 
and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth 
not His mouth. 

This prophecy of Isaiah might perhaps, be worthy of seri- 
ous consideration, as it does seem to have some reference to 
the actual character and sufferings of Christ; but as the 
Old Testament abounds in prophecies — and especially in 
regard to an expected Messiah — -most of which, however, 
cannot by any possibility be proved to have any reference 
to Christ, as they describe an entirely different character, it 
would not be very logical to select this intimation of Isaiah 
as being the only genuine prophecy in regard to Christ's 
coming. Moreover, we must take into consideration that 



Peter. 43 

Christ was not the only one who suffered persecution, and 
even death, for the sake of religion. 

But the fact of Christ's death for religion's sake seemed 
to Peter satisfactory proof that Christ must be the much 
heralded and expected Messiah. This view, in his opinion, 
being confirmed by Christ's conduct and character. 

I, Chap, ii, verse 21. For even hereunto were ye called / 
hecause Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, 
that ye should follow His steps : 

22. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in Sis 
mouth. 

Owing to this belief and his sincere reverence for God 
lie preached, we must admit, the language of conviction. 
Throughout all his discourses we observe that he was moved 
by his strong faith in the writings of the Old Testament, 
that to God no other way was left to save the corrupted 
world from damnation, except by sending a special Messiah, 
or even His own Son, upon the earth. And his conception 
was, too, that this special Messiah had to take all sin upon 
Himself and suffer for it persecution and even death. So 
that one punishment might answer for the wickedness of the 
whole world, and by which God might be sufficiently 
avenged and mollified. 

And why should not Peter believe that these prophecies 
ha,d reference to Christ, and that Christ was sent for these 
purposes? In his experience he found, or professed to find, 
in Christ a man of mild and loving character, teaching the 
sublimest doctrine, who knew all about the future, and who 
endured all manner of persecution patiently. '* Who did 
no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth" and who died 
a martvr's death for the sake of the religious theories he 
propagated. 

I, Chap, ii, verse 23. Who, when He was reviled, reviled 
not again • when He suffered, He threatened not / but com- 
mitted Himself to Him that judgeth righteously : 

24. Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on 
the tree. 



44 Peter. 

Peter himself, perhaps, following the example of the older 
prophets, seems to have prosecuted his studies into the ways 
of God to a considerable extent. 

J I, Chap, ii, verse 3. And through covetousness shall they 
with feigned words m-ake merchandise of you / whose judg- 
ment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation 
shombereth not. 

4. For if God spa/red not the angels that sinned, but cast 
them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of dark 
•ness, to be reserved unto judgment ; 

9. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some 
'men count slackness / but is long-suffering to us -ward, not 
willing that any should perish, but that all should come to 
repentance. 

He even knows exactly the proceedings of Christ in 
Heaven. 

I. Chap, iii, verse 22. Who is gone into heaven, and is on 
the right /land of God; angels and authorities and powers 
being made subject unto Him. 

Just as strong as his belief was in Christ, the Messiah and 
Son of God, was his belief also that Christ arose from 
the dead and ascended into Heaven. I, Chap, i, verse 3. 
" Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us 
again unto a lively hope by the resurrechon of Jesus Christ 
from the dead." 

Yerse 21. Who by him do believe in God, that raised 
Him up from the dead, and gave Him glory ; that your 
faith and- hope might be in God. 

I, Chap, iii, verse 22. Who is gone into heaven, and is on 
the right hand of God. 

His idea of the resurrection of Christ, it should be pointed 
out, differs from what was the general belief, in that he had 
not seen and does not mean in his epistle to refer to a resur- 
rection of the body, but a resurrection of the spirit only. 

1, Chap, iii, verse 18. For Christ also hath once suffered. 
for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to 



Peter. 45 

God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the 
Spirit : 

19. By which also He went and preached unto the spirits 
in prison. 

He was familiar, it seems, with the story that Christ had 
appeared to those who had been imprisoned, and alludes to 
it in the above mystical manner. It appears very clearly 
that he felt obliged, in some way, to confirm the resurrection 
of Christ and his reappearance on earth, and that he sup- 
ported it by adopting what was idle rumor. That he ever 
saw Christ after death he does not mention. He may have 
been confident of the resurrection of Christ in the sense at- 
tached to Jewish doctrines, namely, that the spirit departed 
from the body after death and went to heaven or hell ac- 
cording to its merits. And this Peter concedes by his state- 
ment that Christ " died in the flesh but was quickened by 
the Spirit." If a resurrection of the body had taken place 
Peter, one would think, must have known of it, and if so he 
would not have especially alluded to a resurrection " in 
the Spirit." The Spirit could be imagined to be anywhere, 
and no doubt those who were imprisoned for religion's sake 
imagined that Christ was with them "in the Spirit." This 
they perhaps testified to, and not that Christ was with them 
in the body. 

There is a special absence in Peter, as will be observed, 
of any reference to miracles of Christ. But here is one ex- 
ception. 

II, Chap, i, verse 17. For He received from God the 
Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to 
Rim from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son in 
whom I am well pleased. 

18. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, 
when we were with Him in the holy mount. 

This is the only miracle Peter refers to in proof of the 
Divinity of Christ. Such revelation was of course necessary 
as a foundation for his own teachings and assertions. We 
may even believe, Peter was himself convinced that some 



46 Peter. 

such revelation had been made ; but even then we cannot 
accept his representation of it. We must allow something 
for imagination. Let us suppose that Christ, with some of 
His apostles or followers, having been opposed, persecuted 
and ridiculed went together, depressed in mind, into the 
mountains to seek consolation in seclusion. The sky was 
dark and threatening, and intensified their melancholy. 
Here they lay moody and disappointed, when the thunder 
storm which, had been gathering burst above them with 
startling force. In their superstitious zeal they eagerly ac- 
cepted this as a sign from God, sent as consolation to them 
and to demonstrate God's power and majesty, and His divine 
affection toward Jesus Christ. This impression took firm 
hold of the apostles; the occurrence was afterwards repre- 
sented by them as a special divine visitation. 

This supposition we find in someway supported by Luke's 
testimony of the occurrence. In this it is more highly illus- 
trated, which we attribute to the natural desire of that time 
to shroud religion as much as possible in mystery. 

Luke, Chap, ix, verse 32. But Pete?' a?id they that were 
with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were awake, 
they saw His glory, and the two men that stood with Him. 

The difference between these two reports is most striking. 
While Luke states that Christ appeared communing with 
two shining men, Peter says that God revealed Himself 
direct, and does not refer to any shining personages at all. 
As Peter is said to have been present, his report is perhaps 
preferable. The two statements show, however, that the 
natural phenomenon which we suppose to have taken place 
was variously interprets ted. Luke having heard an exag- 
gerated report, perhaps, had endeavored to get at the real 
facts, and Peter, being closely questioned, had admitted 
that they "were heavy with sleep" at the time, and there- 
fore could not well comprehend or remember the exact de- 
tails of the heavenly visitation. On both sides there is 
shown a want of authenticity such as such important testi- 
mony demanded. 



Peter. . 47 

We must also take into consideration that miracles were 
expected and demanded by the Jews, from their Messiah, 
how otherwise were they to believe in Him. Their former 
prophets had worked miracles. There were also as Peter 
tells us, II, Chap, ii, verse 1, " false prophets also among the 
people," and how were they to distinguish the false from 
the true, except through the miraculous works by which 
the true prophets of a preceding age had demonstrated 
their divine mission % 

Peter, immediately after describing the heavenly visita- 
tion continues. 

II, Chap, i, verse* 19. TT^ ham also a more sure word of 
prophecy ; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a 
light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and 
the day star arise in your hearts. 

Tnis seems to have been added with an idea of giving 
strengrli to, and increasing the mystery, connected with 
God's visit. Peter very possibly distrusted the general 
acceptance of this miraculous occurrence, and therefore 
refers to the word of prophecy, which he believed would 
not be doubted, and goes on to enforce the reliability of 
these prophecies. II. Chap, i, verse 20. ''Knowing this 
first, that no prophecy of the Scriptures is of any private 
interpretation, for the prophecy came not in old time by 
the will of man, but holy men of God spake, as they were 
moved by the Holy Ghost" 

We cannot fail to observe that this report of Peter of the 
only miracle which occurred to him, seems to be somewhat 
forced, and not to originate from thorough conviction. But 
it is evident that he in his persuasion relies entirely on the 
Old Testament, and that he has nothing else on which to 
substantiate his belief in Christ. 

II, Chap, ii, verse 5. And spared not the old world, 
but saved Noah, the eighth person, a preacher of right- 
eousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the un- 
godly ; 

6. And turning the cities of Sodam and Gomorrha into 



48 . Peter. 

ashes condemned them with an overthrow, muling them an 
ensample unto those that after should live ungodly / 

7. And delivered just Lot, vex^d with the filthy conversa- 
tion of the wicked : 

He even refers to the most ridiculous fables of the Old 
Testament : II, Chap, ii, verse 16 ; " But was rebuked for 
his iniquity ; the dumb are speaking with man's voice, or- 
bade the madness of the prophet" 

He also believes in the mysterious doctrines of the Old 
Scriptures in regard to the coming destruction of the world, 

II, Chap, iii, verse 10. But the day of the Lord will come 
as a thief in the night', in the which the 'heavens shall pass 
away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with 
fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein 
shall be burnt tip. 

Peter, however, does not appear to know of any special 
doctrines or any miracles relating to the life and actions of 
Christ (with the only exception just considered) and we may 
therefore conclude that there were none, as if there had 
been, he would surely have referred to them in preference 
to citing miracles and stories from the Old Testament. On 
the contrary, he evidently knows that wonderful stories 
were in circulation in regard to Christ, for he takes the 
trouble to denounce them. He had followed Christ him- 
self, and knew well what stories in regard to him -it was safe 
to give credence to His candid mind did not see the neces- 
sity of advocating the truth of these fables ; they appeared to 
him unnecessary; he had been a witness of Christ's majesty 
and was convinced of his divine mission without them. 

II, Chap, i, verse 16. For we have not followed cunningly 
devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and 
cpming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of 
His majesty. 

Peter wrote his first letter from Babylon, where Marcus, 
the evangelist, whom he calls his son, was with him. Mar- 
cus later, probably after Peter's death, became the constant 
companion of Paul. 



PhTER. 49 

I, Ohap, v, verse 13. The church that is at Babylon, 
elected together with you, saluteth you : and so doth Marcus 
my son. 

He was probably very old when he wrote this, and ex- 
pected soon to pass away, as he refers to this event follow- 
ing. 

II, Chap, i, verse 14. Knowing that shortly I must put 
off this my tabernacle, even as our Loral Jesus Christ hath 
showed me. 

This, as well as the whole text of his letter, does not indi- 
cate that he expected to die as a martyr. The calmness 
with which he refers to his approaching departure seems to 
suggest that he had attained to an old age, and this we find 
confirmed by the next verse. 

15. Moreover I will endeavor that ye may be able after my 
decease to have these things always in remembrance. 

This, however, is of little importance to our discussion, 
except that it shows Peter reached a contented old age. 

He seems to have been well acquainted with Paul, and is 
thoroughly familiar with his doctrines. These lie does not 
approve entirely, and this shows that already a lack of har- 
mony existed among the apostles in regard to the conception 
of the Spirit of Christ. II, Chap, iii, verse 15. u And account 
that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation • even as our 
beloved brother Paul, also according to the wisdom given 
unto him, hath written unto you. As also in all his epis- 
tles, speaking in them of these things / in which are some 
things hard to be understood, which they that are tinlearned 
and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, 
unto their own destruction" He did not wish seriously to 
object to Paul's theories, because that might be detrimental 
to the interests of the Church, so he just says sufficient to 
record that he does not himself accept all these theories. 

The four epistles which we have now discussed are un- 
doubted the most important documents concerning the life 
and works of Christ. We can have no doubt that Peter, 
John and James, were the real apostles of Christ, and the 



50 The Testimony of Paul. 

authors of the portions of Scripture attributed to them. Ac- 
knowledging this we have to admit that in their writings, 
although their allegiance to Christ is unquestioned, there is 
no reference to the miracles of Jesus, and no evidence of 
His divinity. Our review of the Gospel of John, who was 
probably the same disciple referred to here— will entirely 
corroborate this. 

Now if these four apostles ai;d many others only believed 
in Christ as a religious reformer, and not as a divinity, why 
are- we called upon to accept Hiiy\, upon their evidence as 
the veritable Son of God ? By part of the people of His 
time, especially the educated class, it should also be remem- 
bered, Christ was not ever accepted as a religious teacher 
and guide. 

In the remaining documents to be discussed, it must be 
observed that the more distant in time and space the authors 
were related to the original source of their inspirations, the 
more enigmatical and mysterious is the manner in which 
the events treated of, are represented. 



THE TESTIMONY OF PAUL. 



Paul was an important, and without doubt, the most ac- 
tive member of the Church of Christ. He was an ardent 
defender of his theories and a zealous worker for the faith, 
and to him foremost of all must be attributed the successful 
propagation of Christianity. He travelled continually, en- 
couraging and exhorting believers everywhere, and was 
indefatigable in enforcing his admonitions by writing. 
Many of his epistles have come down to our own day and 
from them we obtain valuable glimpses of the condition of 
the initial Christian Church. 

Being a man of energetic habit he was just as zealous in 



The Testimony of Paul. 51 

the promotion of Christ's Church as he was formerly in its 
persecution. His conversion to Christianity we must ascribe 
to a pang of conscience which struck him while in the act 
of persecuting poor and liumbie Christians. Being on his 
way to Damascus in pursuit of his mission, a heavy thun- 
der storm, perhaps, overtook him on his way. A. fearful 
flash of lightning near to him, as his own reports suggest, 
may have terrified him, and becoming conscience- stricken, 
he believed this natural phenomenon to be an indicator of 
the wrath of God toward him because of his persecutions of 
the Christians. He at once became painfully conscious of 
his shameful conduct, and was converted. He reveals very 
little about this occurrence himself, but leaves it to Luke, to 
recount the miraculous manner in which his conversion was 
brought about. 

Acts, Chap, xxii, verse 9. And they that were with me 
saw indeed the light, and were afraid / hut they heard not 
the voice of Him that spake to me. 

Paul having himself, perhaps, labored under the delusion, 
that the roaring thunder was the voice of God, communicated 
this to Luke in an ostentatious way, being desirous of repre- 
senting 1 his conversion as a miraculous act in order to con- 
firm his pretentions to the high office for which he claimed 
to have been specially chosen by God Himself. But notice 
how guarded is the statement he makes for his purpose. 
They who were with him, he says, did not hear the voice of 
Sim that spoke. This seems to be the premature expla- 
nation of an expected denial of the occurrence from those 
who were with him. 

And he did not wish, it seems, to give this report of his 
conversion himself — possibly because he knew that it was 
not in conformity with the truth — but left it for Luke to do, 
for whose statement he could not be held responsible. 

Another miraculous occurrence happens to Paul, which 
he does relate, and it bears upon its face a similar purpose 
to the one just discussed. Paul was familiar with the many 
fables in circulation regarding the reappearance of Christ 



52 The Testimony of Paul. 

after death before several of His disciples, and the descent 
of the Holy Gh<>st upon them, and no doubt thought that 
he, the most important apostle, ought also to receive some 
special recognition of Christ. It seemed to be necessary, if 
he must hold his proper rank among the minor disciples, 
who had witnessed the spiritual manifestations referred to. 
So he has a dream or vision, and states it to have been the 
much desired visitation of Christ to him: 1 Corinthians, 
Chap, xv, verse 8. " And last of all He was seen of me 
also, as of one bom out of due timeP How Paul could im- 
agine that such a nonsensical vision could represent Christ, 
it is difficult to understand. Nobody will dispute that he 
had such a vision, and that he himself believed it to be as 
he represented it; but no rational person can accept such a 
description as applying to Christ. 

He very shrewdly does not state on what occasion this 
happened, why Christ appeared to him, or why He made 
His appearance in such a nondescript character. 

The conversion of Paul must have taken place a consid- 
erable time after the death of Christ, because Christianity 
was spread over Syria, Cilicia, Arabia, and other conntries 
when he commenced his mission against it. 

Galatians, Chap, i, verse 17. Neither went I up to Jeru 
salem to them, which were apostls before me; but I went 
into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. 

18. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see 
Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. 

19. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the 
Lord^s brother. 

20. Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before 
God, Hie not. 

2 L Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and- Gilicia: 
22. And ivas unknown by face unto the churches qfJudea 

which were in Christ. 

He then continues: Galatians, Chap, ii, verse 1. Th.en 

fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with 

Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. 



Paul to the Romans. 53 

Consequently his principal activity must have been about 
twenty-live to thirty years after the death of Christ. Two 
points— his adopted character of apostle, and the period of 
his activity — are of great importance in forming a correct 
opinion of the motive and the circumstances which governed 
his career, as there are so many epistles from Paul which 
are all different in spirit and style. These differences may 
be attributed to the various circumstances and times at 
which they were written. It would be difficult, because of 
this, to present a concise discussion of his writings as a 
whole, and therefore every epistle is here treated separately, 
and by this plan the changes which took place in Paul's 
mind and conduct are more easilv considered. 



PAUL TO THE EOMAXS. 



From his introduction we perceive that he calls himself a 
servant, and a specially selected apostle of Christ or Messias, 
whose coming had been prophesied in the Old Testament. 

Chap, i, verse 1. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, call- 
ed to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God. 

2. (WJdch He had promised afore Ijy His prophets in the 
holy Scriptures.) 

3. Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, ivhich was 
made of the seed <f David according to the flesh. 

Paul was a converted Jew. well educated and thoroughly 
familiar with the Old Testament. He was convinced that 
Christ, was the promised Messiah, the Son of Cod and Sav- 
iour of the world, but in all other respects he adheres to the 
old Jewish doctrines and belief. 

Chap, iv, verse 1. What shall we say then that Abraham 
our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 

2. For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath where- 
of to glory; but not before God. 



54 Paul to the Romans. 

3. For what saith the Scripture f Abraham believed God, 
and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 

4. N~ow to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of 
grace, but of debt. 

5. JBut to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that 
justijieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 

6. Even- as David also describeth the blessed?iess of the man, 
unto whom God imputeth righteousness icithout works. 

7. Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, 
and whose sins are covered. 

8. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. 

9. Cometh this Blessedness then upon the circumcision only, 
or upon the uncircumcision also f for toe say that faith was 
reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. 

10. How was it then reckoned? when he urns in circumcision, 
or in uncircumcision f JVot in circumcision, but in uncircum- 
cision. 

11. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the 
righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircum- 
cised : that he might be the father of all them that believe, 
though they be not circumcised ; that righteousness might be 
imputed unto them also : 

12. And the father of circumcision to them who are not of 
the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that 

faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncir- 
curncised. 

13. For the promise, that he should, be the heir of the 
world, toas not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, 
but throuyh the righteousness of faith. 

14. For if they which are of the laiv he heirs, faith is 
made void, and the promise made of none- effect: 

15. Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law 
is, there is no transgression. 

16. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace ; 
to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed ; not to 
that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of 
the faith of Abraham ; who is the father -of us all. 

17. (As it is ivritten, I have made thee a father of many 



Paul to the Romans. 55 

nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who 
quicheneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not 
as though they were. 

18. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might 
become the father of many nations, according to that which 
was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 

19. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his 
own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years 
old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb. 

He does not here contend, however, that the Jews are a 
divinely selected people, but expressly states that God is 
equally just to all. 

Chap, iii, verse 29. Is He the God of the Jews 
only f is He not also of the Gentiles f Yes, of the Gentiles 
also. 

His teachings in the beginning are in accordance with the 
doctrines of the Old Testament, the God of his belief being 
the revengeful God of the earlier prophets. 

Chap, i, verse 18. For the wrath of God is revealed, 
from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of 
men. 

Chap, ii, verse 9. Tribulation and anguish, ujwn every 
soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the 
Gentile. 

He was, when he wrote this letter, evidently as yet un- 
familiar with the spirit of the original teachings of Christ, 
as represented by the former apostles, which were 
chiefly founded on love, charity, humility, and submission 
to God's will. This difference in Paul's teachings we must 
ascribe to his sudden conversion, and to the fact that on ac- 
count of his conceit he refused to be instructed by the better 
informed apostles, but commenced and for some time con- 
tinued to prea-eh in the old Jewish spirit. This, in reality, 
was the more correct, as the appearance of Christ was 
founded thereon. He does not speak of any special doc- 
trines of Christ, nor allude to any incident of His wonderful 
ife, or to any of His miracles, but preaches only the God of 



56 Pat;l to the Romans. 

Abraham and of the circumcision. He mentions Christ as 
the Saviour of the world, nevertheless ; his theory being, 
apparently, that the sins of the world, which, according to 
the Old Testament, had come into the world by the reckless 
disobedience of one man, had to be redeemed by one other 
man. Chap, v, verse 19. u For as by one marts disobed- 
ience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one 
shall many be made righteous? 

We must assume that Paul did not believe in any of the 
miracles attributed to Christ, as lie does not refer to them, 
and that the church of which he was a prominent member 
was simply reformed Jewish, rather than Christian, as at 
present understood. Paul professed the Jewish faith, with 
the addition that the promised Messiah had already arrived 
in the person of Jesus. lie does not state any reasons which 
might have led him to accept Jesus to- be the Messiah- 
Nevertheless he never saw Christ, and therefore must have 
accepted Him upon the testimony of others. 

Even the resurrection of Christ he finds in conformity with 
the old doctrines, and upon this accepts it. The spirit of 
man was to arise after death, and therefore there was 
nothing specially miraculous about the resurrection of 
Christ, for he distinctly alleges that Christ did not rise again 
in the body, but in the spirit only. 

Chap, x, verse 6. But the righteousness which is of faith 
speaketh on this wise, say not in thine hut?i. Who shall 
ascend into heaven $ (that is, to bring Christ down from 
above /) 

T Or, Who shall descend into the deep f (that is, to bring 
up Christ again from- the dead.} 

Paul here obviously makes a distinction between the spirit 
of Christ in heaven, and the body which is in the deep. 
These sentences could not well be explained in a different 
way, and this view is frequently and substantially confirmed 
in other of the epistles. 

We recognize from his whole epistle to the Romans that 
he adhered strictly to OJcl Testament doctrines. Even if , as 



Paul to the Romans. 57 

is mentioned before, Paul may not have been thoroughly in- 
structed in the special doctrines of Christ, he would neverthe- 
less have known of them, had they received distinct form, for 
lie had been an apostle for several years when he wrote this. 

Chap, xv, verse 23. But now having no more place in 
these parts, and having a great desire these many years to 
come unto yoic ; 

24. Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will 
come to you* 

We may suggest that Paul knew all about the tale of 
wonders and miracles which were in circulation about 
Christ, as in adopting the same method, he refers to mighty 
signs and wonders experienced by himself. 

Chap, xv, verse 19. Through mighty signs and wonders, 
by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, 
and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the 
gospel of Christ. 

He may have converted many and have had wonderful 
success in this respect, as well as in escaping from danger- 
ous situations, all of which he may have fancied were 
special signs of God's favor. But he always speaks of the 
miracles that happened to himself in this general way; he 
never mentions any special miraculous occurrences, and if 
any had occurred to him he certainly would have revealed 
them in order to magnify his own importance. 

Paul seems to have been already well known to the 
prominent believers in Christ living in Rome, though he 
had not as yet visited thar city. He sends his greetings to 
many, mentioning them by name, (See the end of this 
epistle.) The.name of Lucas, who lived in Rome, does not 
occur in this list, however, and we must therefore suppose 
that he had not as yet been converted, or had not attained 
any prominence as a believer in Christ. Paul mentions a 
Lucius, who was with him, but this must not be confounded 
with Lucas, the Evangelist, who was a Roman. Chap. xiv> 
verse 21. " Timotheus, my work fellow, and Lucius, and 
Jason, and Sosipater' my kins-man, salute your 



58 Paul to the Corinthians. 

The nature of this letter of Paul gives us a clear idea of 
his primitive opinions of Christianity, which posesses very 
different features from those we have received from the other 
apostles. During his career it will be seen that these opin- 
ions undergo a decided change. His writings, too, as we 
follow up his letters, will show the prominent position he 
occupied, and the arbitrary manner in which he wielded his 
authority. 



PAUL TO THE COKINTHIANS. 



BOOK I. 



Already, in the earliest stages of Christianity, great 
diversity of opinion existed in regard to the doctrines upon 
which this new sect was founded ; so much so that Paul 
deemed it necessary to address to the Corinthians a severe 
reprimand in regard to these various religious disputes. 
Corinthians Chap, i, verse 12. " Now this I say, that every 
one of you saith, I am of Paul, and 1 of Apollos, and I of 
Cephas, and I of Christ. Is Christ divided f Was Paul 
crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of 
Paul f >' This exhortation proves also that there existed 
no formal unity among the different converts to Christianity. 
Paul was anxious to effect this, and he endeavors to do so by 
explaining in the first place the relations of. these various 
sects, one to another. Chap, xiii, verse 12. "For as the 
hody is one, and hath many members, and all the members of 
that body i being many, are one body, so also is Christ. .'' 
Chap, xiii, verse 21. '• Put now are they many members (of 
different opinions, of course) yet but one bodyP 

Paul's own opinion appears meanwhile to have undergone 
an entire change since the letter he addressed to the 



Paul to the Corinthians. 59 

Pornans was written. He no longer reasons in support of 
the laws of the Old Testament ; he discusses only the more 
reformed ideas of the so-called Christian theory; he seems 
to be more settled and deliberate in regard to his religious 
views, and instead of following slavishly the teachings of the 
older prophets, expresses more distinctly his own opinions. 
Chap, i, verse 22. " For the Jews require signs, and the 
Greeks seek after wisdom." Chap, ii, verse 4. a And my 
speech and preaching was not with enticing words of man's 
wisdom^ but in demonstration of the spirit and of power." 
Chap, ii, verse 6. " However, we speak wisdom among them 
that are perfect, yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the 
prince of this world, that came to naught " 

He even represents Christ in ;m enriiely different charac- 
ter. This new idea of Christ which runs through this 
epistle, is shown in the following : Chap, i, verse 30. "But 
of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made into wis- 
dom, and righteousness, and sa notification, and 'redemption." 
The Greeks, however, like the Jews, seem to have appre- 
ciated this grace but little, which induces Paul to state, that 
the gospel of Christ was thought of. Chap, i, verse 23. "Bui 
we 'preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, 
and unto the Greeks foolishness." This statement of what 
Christ was held to be among the Jews and Greeks of that 
time is very plain, and in answer thereto Paul has only to 
quote that he " preached the Christ crucified.'' That he 
preached Christ crucified may be correct, but that seems to 
be all he has to say in confirmation of the alleged divine mis- 
sion of Christ. He does make some endeavor to support his 
theory of Christ's divinity by a reference to His resurrection, 
but this he explains in so equivocal a manner thatit simply 
furnishes undeniable proof of the resurrection being a mat- 
ter of doctrine only, and that it never occurred in reality. 

The fable of the resurrection had probably found its way 
among the Corinthians, but with them had been met with 
considerable distrust and opposition. This led Paul to give 
an exact explanation as to how this alleged wonderful 



60 Paul to the Corinthians. 

occurrence should be understood. Chap, xv, verse 12. 
" Now if Christ he preached that He rose from the dead, 
how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the 
dead? hut if there he no resurrection of the dead, then 
is Christ not risen • and if Christ he not risen, then is 
our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Ye 
and we are found false witnesses of God, hecause we 
hive testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He 
raised up, if so he that the dead rise not. For if the dead 
rise not, then is not Christ raised ; and if Christ he not 
raised your faith is vain, you are yet in your sins?' Chap, 
xv, verse 21. "For since by man came death, hy man came 
also the resurrection of the dead ; for as in Adam all die, 
even so in Christ shall all he made alive?'' This repeated 
explanation must be satisfactory proof that Paul only 
believed in a spiritual resurrection, because if lie really 
had been convinced of the bodily resurrection of Christ, 
he would have more plainly stated it, and adduced 
essential proof in support of it. His whole argument, how- 
ever, is begging the question. At first he expects us to be- 
lieve that the dead rise, and consequently that Christ has 
arisen, and from this argues that hrist was the Messiah, the 
Son of God, because He rose. If we do not believe in the 
resurrection of the dead, then Paul's whole argument, 
according to his own statement, falls to the ground. 

Paul's own belief and conviction cannot be accepted as 
an infallible guide in this matter. Even the Old Testament 
prophesies to which he refers relative to the coming Mes- 
siah cannot be relied upon, except as mere human sugges- 
tions. They were written, by men, at a time when there' 
was more cause for superstition, because more ignorance 
prevailed. But Paul is even unreliable from the variable- 
ness of his own opinions. First he denounces the bodily 
resurrection of Christ, and subsequently expresses his strong- 
belief in it. Evidently he was afraid of being suspected of 
deriding this circulating fable, and he therefore endeavors, 
in some shape, to justify it, referring to the Old Scripture as 



Paul to the Corinthians. 61 

testimony in support of the possibility of such an occurrence. 

Chap, xv, verse 3. "For I delivered unto you first of all, 
that which I also received : how that Christ died for our sins, 
according to the Scripture, and that He was buried,and that 
He rose again the third day, according to the Scripture" 

He does not refrain from referring to Cephas, James, and 
other five hundred brethren, who are alleged to have seen 
Christ after His resurrection, although not one of them, in 
the testimony they have left, makes the slightest reference to 
their having seen Christ after His supposed resurrection. 
Chap, xv, verse 5. u And He was seen of Cephas, then of 
the twelve, after that he was seen of above five hundred breth- 
ren at once ; of whom, the greatest part remain vnto this 
present, but some are fallen asleep. After that of James, 
then of all the apostles" 

We must remember that when Paul refers to Cephas and 
James in this manner, that this can in no way be considered 
as their testimony. There might probably have- been such 
rumors current in regard to this divine appearance, and it is 
probable that Paul knew and availed himself of such rumors, 
without making himself chargeable with misrepresentation. 

Paul then involves the whole matter in still further mys- 
tery by relating a most singular vision, or dream, which has 
been alluded to before. Chap, xv, verse 8. " And last cf 
all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time" 
But it seems that his impressions of the visitation that oc- 
curred to him, and also of the reappearance of Christ were 
vague, both of which he endeavors to explain as having 
been in the Spirit. This view is confirmed in his unmis- 
takable but equivocal definition. 

Chap, xv, verse 35. But some man will say, Hoiu are the 
dead raised up? and with what body do they come f 

3b*. Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, 
except it die. 

37. And that which thou Sf-west, thou sowest not that body 
that shall be, bat bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of 
some other grain: 



62 Paul to the Corinthians. 

38. But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased Him, and 
to every seed' his oivn body. 

40, There are also celestial bodies ', and bodies terrestrial ; 
but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the ter- 
restial is another. 

44. It is sown a natural body/ it is raised a spiritual body 
There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 

He evidently takes great pains to confirm the theory of 
Christ's supernatural character, but in his cunningly-divined 
definitions exhibits great doubt of there- being any tangible 
foundation for such theory. 

The Greeks, we must remember, demanded sound proof 
of the alleged divine mission of Christ, just as we should 
ask for convincing testimony ourselves. For that purpose 
Paul cites the story of the resurrection and reappearance of 
Christ, and subjoins a deliberate explanation to strengthen 
it in some way. In order to clothe the whole in a more 
mysterious light, he also represents the apostles as being 
gifted with miraculous powers. This, however, is merely 
alluded to, and no special miracles of theirs are mentioned, 
and it is to be believed, if believed at all, upon his bare sug- 
gestion. 

Chap, xii, verse 3, For to one is given by the Spirit the 
word of wisdom • to another the word of knowledge by the 
same Spirit : 

9. To another faith by the same Spirit / to another the 
gifts of healing by the same Spirit / 

10. To another the working of miracles ; to another pro- 
phesy; to another discerning of spirits / to another divers 
kinds of tongues / to another the interpretation of tongues. 

Then again, Paul is bound to boast of his own importance, 
and his own miraculous power and wisdom, yet here also he 
cunningly evades adducing any proof of such supernatural 
gifts. 

Chap, xiii, verse 1. Though I speak with the tongues of 
men and of angels, and have not charity, I am becoming as 
sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 



Paul to the Corinthians. 63 

2. And though 1 have the gift of prophesy, and under- 
stand all mysteries, and all knowledge / and though I have 
all faith, so that 1 coidd remove mountains, and have not 
charity, 1 am nothing. 

3. And though 1 bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and 
though I give my body to be bwmed, and have not charity, 
it profiteth me nothing. 

He alludes to his miraculous power, but suggests that to 
ask for its demonstration would be a tempting of Christ. 

Chap, x, verse 9. .Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of 
them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 

In this we discern evidence of some miraculous act at- 
tributed to Christ, but which is mentioned in such a super- 
ficial way that it looks as if the writer was afraid to enter 
into any detail of the circumstances. 

Paul was evidently neither of an amiable nor particularly 
just> disposition. He was extremely odious to those who 
would not submit to his caprices, and did not hesitate to 
avail himself of devices and means which were at war with 
candor, reliability and truth. That his hypocrisy and 
superciliousness were extremely distasteful to ardent and 
candid believers, we need not question. We can therefore 
take it for granted, that he had many determined antagonists 
among the sect of which he was a leader. In one of his ex. 
hortations he gives strong evidence of this. 

Chap, iv, verse 18. Now some are puffed up, as though I 
would not come to you. 

19. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and 
will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but 
the power. 

21. What will ye f shall I come unto you with a rod, or 
in love, and in the spirit of meekness f • 

Throughout the whole of his first epistles to the Corinthians 
such expressions abound. 

Some of his doctrines and opinions are more absurd even 
than might be expected from such a peculiar character. 
What, for instance, can be more absurd and groundless than 



64: Paul to the Corinthians. 

his aversion to matrimony and to the female sex in general. 
He seems to consider women as a necessary evil, and one to 
be avoided if possible. 

Chap, vii, verse 1. Now concerning the things whereof ye 
wrote unto me : It is good for a man not to touch a woman* 

2. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man heme 
his own wife, and every worn con have her own husband. 

Chap, vii, verse 6. But I speak this by permission, and 
not of commandment. 

7. For I would that all men were even as I myself . But 
every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this man- 
ner, and another after that. 

b. L say therefore to the unmarried, and widows, It is 
good for them if they abide even as I. 

40. But she is happier if she so abide, afUr my judg . 
merit: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God. 

This ridiculous theory does not say much for the delib- 
erate reflection of Paul. Such a doctrine is not only in 
direct opposition to the commandments of the Old Testa- 
ment, but is entirely opposed to the laws of nature and aims 
of creation, as a strict acceptance of it would soon prove 
fatal to the human race. His complete aversion to the 
female sex is evident from the position which he assigns 
woman in her relation to man, and in the minutely detailed, 
but ridiculous rules which he lays down in regard to that 
position He does not consider her entitled to equal rights, 
but on the contrary, thinks she ought to be subordinated 
completely to the will and whim of the man. 

Chap, ii, verse 5. But every woman that pray eth or pro- 
phesieth with her head uncovered, dishonoreth her head : for 
that is even all one as if she were shaven. 

& For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn : 
for if it be a shame Jor a ivoman to be shorn or shaven, let 
her be covered. 

7. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, foras- 
much as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman 
is the glory of the man. 



Paul to the Corinthiaxs. 65 

8. For the mar,, is not of the woman ; but the woman of 
the man. 

9. Neither was the man created for the woman : but the 
woman for the man. 

13. Judge in yourselves : is it comely that a woman pray 
unto God uncovered? 

14. Doth not even nature itself teach yon, that, if a man 
have long hair, it is a shame unto him? 

15. But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her y 
far her hair is given her for a covering. 

These, of course, are exclusively Paul's own opinions 
the reasonableness of which, and especially in regard to the 
shamefulness of a man's wearing long hair more than a wo- 
man, it will be difficult to convince any reasonable mind. 
These theories may possibly have originated from old Jewish 
ideas and customs, to which Paul was still attached, but he, 
in his self-sufficient way, puts them forth as special rules, 
originated by himself, for the guidance even of the Gen- 
tiles. 

Paul's tirade against women, taken as a whole, furnishes 
striking proof that he was totally devoid of the divine pas- 
sion — love. His character was harsh and imperious, and 
too inflexible to be influenced by feelings of pure love toward 
the gentler sex. His haughtiness and his zeal for the mission 
he had adopted, had suppressed all kindly feelings, and 
made of him a heartless autocrat, from which commanding 
position lie endeavors to enforce his supremacy by every 
possible means. 

Chap, ix, verse 1. Am I not an apostle? am I not free? 
have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work 
in the Lord ? 

2. If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless 1 am 
to you : for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. 

In his arrogance he even goes so far as to state that he 
received from the Lord a communication about the pro- 
ceedings at the Last Supper. 

Chap, xi, verse 23. For I have received of the Lord that 



66 Paul to tiik Coeinthians. 

which also I deliver unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same 
night in which He was betrayed took bread : 

24. And when He had given thanks, He brake it, etc. 

We must consider it singular that while Paul should 
never before mention having had direct communication 
with the Lord, he should have received this special report 
from Him, which could easily have been communicated to 
him by one of the other apostles. We are rather inclined 
to believe that Paul is guilty of serious prevarication. He 
may have heard about the Last Supper, and the facts in 
regard to it, as they are represented ;y him in his epistle to 
the Corinthians, but his self-conceit leads him to state, not 
that he received information of it from one of the apostles 
or any other human authority, but that the account came to 
him from the Lord Himself. This suggestion will be ac- 
cepted more readily when we shall endeavor to show later 
that the alleged proceedings at this Supper probably never 
took place; or at least not in the way it is reported by him. 

A singular phenomenon, which is worthy of mention 
here, is that some Christian denominations consider Peter 
the principal authority of the early Church, and yet adopt 
the rules and doctrines of Paul, in which the doctrine of 
celibacy is the prominent feature. Paul was not married 
and continually recommended the advantages of a sino-le 
state, while Peter, also called Cephas, was married, accord, 
ing to Paul's own statement. Chap, ix, verse 5. "Have we 
not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other 
apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas" 



Paul's Epistle to tite Corinthians. 
PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 



BOOK IL 



This epistle is composed in an entirely different spirit 
from the preceding one, and we cannot fail to perceive in it 
a subdued condition of mind. Paul had most probably met 
with some serious difficulties on account of his insolent 
.bearing, and to come into grace again felt obliged to change 
his policy, endeavoring, by confession,' to reconcile those to 
whom he had given offence. 

Chap, ii, verse 1. But I determined this with myself \ that 
I would not come again to you in heaviness. 

2. For if I make you sorry, who is he that maketh me 
glad. 

5. But if any have caused, grief, he hath not grieved me. 
hut in part, that I may not overcharge y<m all. 

His imperious mind, however, could not bro<>k submis- 
sion, and although he expresses regret for his former 
conduct, he seeks to justify it in a non-committal manner. 

Chap, vii, verse 8. For though I made you sorry with a 
letter, I do not repen t, though I did repent : for I perceive 
that the same epistle ha'h made you sorry, though it -were 
but for a season. 

Chap, ix, verse 5. Therefore I thought it right to ex- 
hort the brethren. 

Chap, x, verse 2. But I beseech you, that I way not be 
bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I 
think to be bokl against some. 

3. For though I should boast somewhat more of our [his 
own] authority, which the Lord hath given us for edifica- 
tion, and. not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed. 

Although he pretends that he does not need to be asham- 
ed of his former conduct, nevertheless he fears that lie may 



68 Paul's Epistle to the Cobinthians. 

not be able to control his temper when he is with them 
again, and therefore rather chooses to make his defence in 
writing. Chap, xiii, verse 10. " Therefore I will write 
these things being absent, lest 'being present I should use 
harshness, according to the power which the Lord hath given 
me to edification, and not to destruction P' 

A character like Paul's is difficult to understand, although 
not an uncommon one with people of limited intellect, but 
of great cunning, who unexpectedly or suddenly are placed 
in a position of power and honor which they wish to have 
recognized and thoroughly respected. Not being able to 
command the desired admiration, they seek to inculcate it 
by force or by trickery, through which very means their 
superficial character becomes apparent and by degrees 
causes their position to grow precarious, if not wholly un- 
tenable. 

Though Paul confesses his faulty conduct, and pretends 
to assume an humble attitude, he cannot long keep up this 
hypocritical demeanor without showing something of his 
true colors. He calls to mind, in an exalted style, who he 
is. and what he has done and suffered for the sake of Christ. 

Chap, i, verse 8. For we woidd not, brethren, have you 
ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we 
were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that 
we despaired even of life. 

9. Biot we had the sentence of death in oitrselves, that we 
should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the 
dead: 

10. Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth de- 
liver : in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us. 

Chap, ix, verse 22. Are they Hebrews f so am I. Are 
they Israelites f so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham f 
so mn I. 

23. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool,) I 
am more : in labors more abundant, in stripes above mea- 
sure, in prisons more frequent, in, deaths oft. • 

24. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one, 



Paul's Epistle to the Corinthiaxs. 69 

25. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, 
thrice 1 suffered shipwreck, a night and a, day I have been 
in the deep ; 

26. In journeying s often, in perils of waters, in perils of 
robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the 
heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in 
perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren • 

27. In weariness and painfulness, in watching s often, in 
hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 

We cannot fail to observe his great tendency to boasting. 
His perils on the water he repeats three times, although he 
never travelled further than to Rome, of which voyage Luke, 
in the Acts, gives an explicit description. Then his perils 
among robbers, in the wilderness, among wild beasts, in the 
city, and from false brethren are narrated with great ado. 
All his weariness and painfulness, his watchings, his fastings, 
his nakedness, his exposure to the cold weather, are all set 
forth as if they were something terrible. We must confess 
that he has at least done his utmost in the illustration of his 
suffering. 

As an instance of the terrible dangers through which he 
passed he mentions one occurrence which to him seemed of 
such actual importance as to call for a detailed explanation. 

CI nip. 11, verse 32. In Damascus the governor under 
A r etas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a 
garrison, desirous to apprehend me • 

33. And through a window in a basket, was 1 let down 
by the wall, and escaped his hands. 

Nevertheless lie did not wish the glory of himself, but 
hypocrite like, to figure only as the very humble apostle. 

30. If I must needs glory, I will ghry of the things 
which concern mine infirmities. 

Paul, no doubt, met with some hardships, but that he ex- 
aggerated his sufferings at times in the most extravagant, 
manner, is equally evident, A good example of this is 
found in Chap, xv, verse 32. "If after the manner 
of men I have fought with beasts at EphesusP All 



70 Paul's Epistle to the Corinthians. 

that he means by this is probably that he met with strong 
opposition in his preaching, but he states it in this ex- 
travagant language in order to convey an idea of his per- 
sonal heroism. He is cognizant of his boastings, yet in his 
conceit cautions them lest they may consider him a fool, 
and to impress them otherwise writes: 

Chap. 11, verse 16. / say again, Let no man think me a 
fool : if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast 
myself a little. 

Chap. 12, verse 11. / am become a fool in glorying; ye 
have compelled me : for I ought to have been commended of 
you / for in nothing am I behind the very chief est apostles, 
though I be nothing. 

He is well aware that his sharp conduct will give rise to 
violent quarrels and slander, and that similar troubles to 
those he apparently experienced before, would be in store 
for him, so he exhorts them beforehand. 

Chap, xii, verse 20. For 1 fear, lest, when I come, I shall 
not find you such as I would, and that 1 shall be found un- 
to you such as ye would not : lest there be debates, envyings, 
wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumuli s. 

In his self-conceit, how mean he acts towards his true 
helper Titus, whom he jealously suspects of having found 
higher grace with the Corinthians than he himself. 

Chap, xii, verse 18. I desired Titus, and, with him I sent 
a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you ? walked we not 
in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps f 

He also refers in a vague manner to some one who 
glories in himself, and of whom also he is jealous. While 
lie first states that it is not proper for himself to glory, yet 
as he believes that he also will receive a special revelation 
from the Lord at some time, he refers to the exaltation of 
this other preacher. 

Chap, xii, verse 1. It is not expedient for me doubtless to 
glory. 1 will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 

2. / knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, 
{whether in the body, L cannot tell ; or whether out of the 



Paul's Epistle to the Corinthians. 71 

body, I cannot tell: God knoweth ;) such an one caught up 
to the third heaven. 

3. And I hi etc such a man, {whether in the body, or out 
of the body, I cannot tell : God hnoweth ;) 

4. Hoio that he was caught up info paradise, and heard 
unspeakable words, which it is not lawfidfor a man to utter. 

5. Of such an one will 1 glory : yet of 'myself I 'will not 
glory, but in mine infirmities. 

This man to whom he refers we may presume to be John, 
because Paul would hardly have recognized this superior 
power of revelation in any but one of the alleged disciples 
to whom, at all events, he had. to consider himself inferior. 
To any other he would surely not have made such a con- 
cession, and as we have evidence of John's highly exalted 
character in his revelations, which Paul refers to, we can 
have no doubt that it is he to whom Paul here refers, and 
whom he really believes to be inspired with the Spirit of 
God. But Paul evidently does not wish to mention the 
name of any apostle gifted with superior power to himself 
as it might diminish his own importance. He only refers 
to it in case the exalted revelations of John should become 
known to the Corinthians, and giving it as an excuse for 
not glorifying himself, that he would also come to such di- 
vine revelations. He even gives a special reason why he 
does not glorify himself, taking particular care to mention 
that he has abundant cause for doing so. He had besought 
the Lord thrice, he said, that he should not become exalted 
beyond measure. 

Chap, xii, verse 7. And lest I should be exalted above 
measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was 
given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to 
buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 

3. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might 
depart from me. 

This evidently was to serve as an excuse why he did not 
glory in revelations, which he imagined everybody would 
expect from him in justification of his high office. To con- 



72 Paul's Epistle to the Galatians. 

firm his forbearance still more, he states that the Lord had 
especially spoken to him, and consoled him with the divine 
opinion, that lie had no need of any special revelations; 
that his personal influence was strong- enough without 
them. 

Chap, xii, verse 9. And he said unto me. My grace is 
sufficient for thee ; for my strength is made perfect in weak- 
ness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in mine 
infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 

Paul also testifies that Christ had been rich, which dif- 
fers to some extent from other reports of His condition. 
He was, as we read, the son of a carpenter and as this 
might have been a profitable pursuit in those days Paul is 
probably correct. 

Chap, viii, verse 9. For ye know the grace of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sokes 
He became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. 



PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS. 



Paul's 'letter to the Galatians, written from Rome, as is 
stated at the end, must have been issued many years after 
that to the Romans, and probably a considerable time sub- 
sequent, to those to the Corinthians, because many years of 
his activity passed before his first visit there. 

We have again to record a considerable change of opinion 
in Paul's writing, a fact which he himself admits to the 
Galatians. Chap, iv, verse 13. ;i You know how through 
infirmities of the flesh 1 preached the gospel to you at firsts 
In his letter to the Romans he adhered to the old Jewish 
laws and doctrine, but in after years he advocated an en- 
tirely different religious theory, which is wholly at variance 
with Jewish principles. He even goes so far as to call the old 



Paul's Epistle to the Galatians. 73 

law a curse. Chap, iii, verse 13. " Christ had redeemed 
us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, for 
it is written, cursed is everyone that hanged on a tree" 

Chap, iii, verse 24. Wherefore the law was our schoolmas- 
ter to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by 
faith. 

Chap, iv, verse 15. For in Christ Jesus neither circum- 
cision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new 
creature. 

This extreme change of mind was brought about partly 
by his aversion to the Jews, who had, as' will be shown 
later, denounced his overbearing conduct, and caused him 
much trouble ; and partly by the circumstances by which 
he was surrounded in his principal sphere of activity — 
among the heathens and Gentiles. The Greeks and 
Romans not being accustomed to circumcision, naturally 
objected to such a nonsensical ceremony, so that the incul- 
cation would have been a great hindrance to the successful 
propagation of the gospel of Christ. Circumcision, as a 
fundamental doctrine, had therefore to be abandoned. The 
Jewish Christians, on account of their descent and circum- 
cision, considered themselves to be of superior grace, and 
Paul was necessarily called upon to maintain the equal re- 
ligious qualifications of the Greeks and Romans. This he 
does in a very ingenious manner by the introduction of 
reformed religious theories. In his wanton zeal for these, 
he goes so far as to rebuke Peter severely for his partiality 
to his own theories. 

Chap, ii, verse 11. Bid when Peter was come to Antioch, 
1 withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 

12. For before that certain came from James, he did eat 
with the Gent'des : but when they were come, he tvithdrew 
and separated himself fearing them which were of the eir- 
c umcision. 

This arrogance of Paul in daring to oppose even Peter, 
the real apostle of Christ, originated in his presumption 
that he was converted directly by the will of God, and not 



7i Paul's Epistle to the Galatians. 

through the influence of other men, and which he desires to 
be known. Chap, i, verse 1. "Paul cm apostle not of men, 
neither by man, biot by Jesus Christ and God the Father, 
who raised Him from the dead?' Chap, i, verse 12. " For. 
I neither received it of man, neither toas 1 taught it, but by 
the revelation of Jesus Christ." That this was acknowl- 
edged, as he suggests by Peter and others, he takes the 
pains to formally affirm. 

Chap, ii, verse 9. And when James, Cephas, and. John, 
who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that ivas given 
me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellow- 
ship. 

We must here especially notice that neither Paul nor any 
of the former authors, refer to any other apostles of Christ 
except Cephas, James and John, and considering the 
dubious relation of John to Christ during the lifetime of 
the latter, we must be inclined to believe that these three 
were the only so-called disciples or true followers of Christ. 
Sometimes "James, the Lord's brother '' is mentioned, and 
he seems to have been in accord with the apostles, but not 
therefore one himself. Thi s James must not be confounded 
with the one to whom Jude refers. Jude, Chap, i, verse 1. 
^ Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James." 
If this James had been the brother of Christ, Jude must 
also have been His brother, and he would have stated so. 

That Paul experienced a good deal- of disappointment 
among the Galatians, and even among his own converts, 
who again fell off on account, very probably, of his arro- 
gance, and that also opposing sects and adherents of apos- 
tate denominations were in existence, appears from his own 
statement. 

Chap, i, verse 6. 1 marvel that ye are so soon removed 
from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto an- 
other gospel : 

7. Which is 'not another * but there be some that trouble 
you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ, 

That he had been as t^erc in the persecution of the 



Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians. 75 

Christians, as he was later in the promotion of their cause, 
is sufficiently shown by his own words. 

Chap, i, verse 13. For ye have heard of my conversation 
in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure 
I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it. 



PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 



Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, represents himself as 
an entirely different man, from the idea of himself he has 
previously conveyed, and we might almost believe that this 
letter was written by anyone but himself. All at once he 
seems to have become gentle and humble in his admonish- 
ments, and in addressing the Ephesians he no longer boasts 
of being independent of men, but only claims to be an 
apostle of Christ by the will of God. Ephesians, Chap, i, 
verse 1. " Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of 
God, to the Saints which are at Fphesus, and to thefaithful 
in Christ Jesus" 

His whole letter is full of love and humility ; he affects 
to recognize his own insignificance, and to desire to be on 
terms of equality with his fellow-believers. 

Chap, i, verse 15. Wherefore 1 also, after I heard of 'your 
faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints. 

Chap, ii, verse 4. But God, who is rich in mercy, for 
His great love wherewith He loved us, 

5. Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us to- 
gether with Christ, (by grace ye are saved •) 

6. And hath raised us up together, and made us sit to- 
gether in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. 

He even professes to be less than any of the saints, and 
this he appears to really mean, as he does not afterwards 
modify this open confession. 



76 Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians. 

Chap, iii, verse 8. Unto me, who am less than the least 
of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among 
the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. 

Age, persecution and long imprisonment, have probably 
broken his fierce spirit and energy, but even in his humility 
he cannot refrain from his old habit of boasting, but in hu- 
mility. Chap, iii, verse 1. "For this cause, 1, Paul, the 
prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles. Chap, iv, verse 
1. " I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord beseech that you 
walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called. 

He is depressed in spirit, and is resigned to die. His ex- 
alted position no longer blinds him, and he is at last filled 
with the real spirit of Christian love. 

Chap, iv, verse 12. For the perfecting of the saints, for 
the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of 
Christ : 

13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the 
knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the 
measure of the statute of the fulness of Christ : 

32. And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, for- 
giving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath for- 
given you. 

Chap, v, verse 1, Be ye therefore followers of God, as 
dear children / 

2. And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved %os, and 
hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God 
for a sweet-smelling savor. 

Chap, vi, verse 10. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the 
Lord, and in the power of His might. 

He at length ceases to boast of his sufferings, and ex- 
presses a kind hope that his followers will not be troubled 
about him. Chap, iii, verse 13. " Wherefore 1 desire that 
ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your 
glory." 

This remarkable change of mind could only have occur- 
red through grave circumstances, and we can have no 
doubt that these were the persecutions and temptations he 



Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians. 77 

experienced, that lie recommends the Ephesians to guard 
against. 

Chap, vi, verse 11. Put on the whole armor of God, that 
ye may be able to stand against the idles of the devil. 

12. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against 
principalities, against powers, against the riders of the 
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high 
places. 

Such obstinacy had brought him to acknowledge his own 
demerits and for once made him a real humble servant of 
Christ. Chap, iii, verse 2. " If ye have heard of the dis- 
pensation of the grace of God, which is given to me to you- 
wardP 

Here we must allude to the strange fact that Paul does 
not refer to any of the miracles attributed to Christ, although 
he speaks of the ascent of Christ to heaven as a matter of 
fact; while he has before explained that the incident was to 
be understood in its iigurative sense only. Chap, iv, verse 
8. " Wherefwe He saith, when He ascended up on high, 
He led captivity captive and gave gifts unto menP 

We may consider this as an effort to have the resurrec- 
tion of Christ established as a fact, so that it might be ac- 
cepted as an evidence of His divine character. Paul goes 
on to reason that although Christ was first buried, neverthe- 
less He ascended, but how, he does not .state. Chap, iv, 
verse 9. "Now that He ascended, what is it but that He 
also descended first into the lower pa/rts of the earth." Then 
he adds, as further testimony, that Christ imparted to His 
apostles various extraordinary powers before He had arisen. 
Chap, iv, verse 11. " And He gave sone, apostles; and some, 
prophets; and some, evangelists / and some, pastors and 
teachers." 

We may suggest that Paul did not dare to speak of more 
striking miracles to the Ephesians, for fear of arousing their 
suspicion and distrust ; but mystery had it to be. 

Chap, iii, verse 3. How that by reve ] ation He made known 
unto me the mystery / {as I wrote afore in few words, 



78 Paul's Epistle 10 the Piiilippians. 

4. Whereby, when ye read, ye made understand my 
knowledge in the mystery of Christ.) 

He here refers to a former letter to them, in which he 
refers to some mysteries appertaining to himself. This 
letter, however, appears to have been lost, but since we 
have ample accounts of Paul, we need not regret its loss. 
Perhaps the Ephesians did not think much of these myster- 
ious revelations and laid the letter aside. 



PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIAKS. 



Paul's letter to the Piiilippians was probably written 
some time after that to the Ephesians. It gives distinct 
evidence of his former spirit of imposition and haughtiness. 
After being liberated from his long imprisonment in con- 
sequence of a heroic defence, he met with great success in 
his advocacy of the Christian cause, even some of Csesar's 



Household being converted. 



Chap, i, verse 12. But I would ye should understand, 
brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fal- 
len out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel ; 

13. So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the 
palace, and in all other places. 

Chap, iv, verse 22. All the saints salute you, chiefly they 
that are of Ccesar's household. 

This had inspired him with new courage, and revived his 
conceit and pride of his elevated position. Among other 
things to his own praise he alludes to his high descent. 

Chap, i, verse 1. Paul and Timotheus, the servants of 
Jesus Christ, to all the saints in, Christ Jesus which are at 
Philippi. with the bishops and deacons. 

Chap, iii, verse 4. Though I might also home confidence 



Paul's Epistle to the Philippians. 79 

in the flesh. If any other man ihinketh that he hath 
whereof he may trust in the flesh, I more. 

5. Circumcised the eighth clay, of the stock of Israel, of 
the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews / as 
touching the law, a Pharisee y 

6. Concerning zeal, persecuting the church • touching the 
righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 

During the hard pressure that was brought to bear on 
him in his persecution, and which he probably expected to 
result fatally, he seems to have made himself familiar with 
the idea of death, and thus refers to it in a heroical spirit. 

Chap, i, verse 21. For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 

22. But if Hive in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor : 
yet what I shall choose I wot not. 

22. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to 
depart, and to be with Christ / which is far better. 

As he had escaped unharmed, with enhanced reputation, 
he was unable to conceal his consciousness of his own 
importance and significance. 

Chap, i, verse 20. According to my earnest expectation 
and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that 
with all boldness, as cdways, so noiv also Christ shcdl be 
magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death. 

Chap, iii, verse 14. / press toward the mark for the 
prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 

17. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them 
which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. 

On account of his ambitiofl and restless activity, although 
he was generally disliked, and even feared, he affected 
more than any of the other apostles; and his continuous ex- 
hortations tli rough letters and special messengers, as men- 
tioned here and in other places, enabled hi in to keep 
posted and in close connection with his adherents. 

Chap, ii, verse 25. Yet I supposed it necessary to send to 
you Fpajjhroditus, my brother, and companion in labor, and 
fellow-soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to 
my wants. 



80 Paul's Epistle to the Colossians. 

His vanity in return, is vastly nattered by any attention 
shown to him, even to such a degree that he believes such 
attentions to him are pleasing to God. 

Chap, iv, verse 10. But I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that 
now at the last your care of me hath flourished again ; wherein 
ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I 
speak hi respect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever 
state I am to consent. 

Chap, iv, verse 17. Not because I desire a gift : but I de- 
sire fruit that may abound to your account. 

18. But I have all and abound : I am full, having received 
of EpaphrodiUis the things which tvere sent from you, an 
odor of a sioeet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to 
God. ' 

We may here also suggest that as Paul in later stages had 
changed his conduct materially, the general disposition 
toward him had iniprovod also, and at last his followers 
showed the affectionate devotion to him for which he had 
eagerly longed. 

Although in this letter, onlv few incidents furnish occasion 

O ' 'J 

for discussion, nevertheless, they are sufficient to prove his 
hypocritical conduct. While to the Gentiles he simulates 
aversion to the Jews, in his address to the latter, he prides 
himself upon being prominent among them. 



PAUL'S EPISTLE TO, THE COLOSSIANS. 



This letter of Paul appears to have followed in regular 
order those we have already considered, because herein, 'for 
the first time, we find mention made of Luke the physician. 
Chap, iv, verse 14. u Luke the beloved physician, and De- 
mas greet you:'' As Paul always mentions those who are 
especially dear to him, and as he did not mention Luke's 
name before, we may presume that it w T as at about this 



Paul's Epistle to the Colossiaxs. SI 

time that the friendship between them first began. 
This marked attention of Paul towards Luke we may con- 
sider as proof of the latter's unquestionable allegiance to the 
cause of Cnrist and devotedness to Paul, as nothing less 
could h ivc evoked from Paul such affectionate expressions. 

Lukj was not one of the circumcised, (thos) be:n 3 ' spec- 
ially inentio.ied) but a Gentile, and as he was by profession 
a physician, in all probability he was a permanent resident 
of Rome. 

Chap, iv, verse 10. Aristarhus viy fellow-prisoner saht 
eth you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, {touching 
whom ye -received commandments : if he come unto you re- 
oeive him j) 

11. And Jesus which is called Justus, ivho are of the 
circumcision. 

T\ e here also find reference made to Marcus or Mark, who 
was a sisters son of Barnabas, who many years before 
accompanied Paul and Titus to Jerusalem. Galatiane, 
Chap, ii, verse 1. " Then fourteen years after I went up 
again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titos with me 
also:' Mark does not seem to have occupied a very promi- 
nent position, as he is only referred to as a fellow- worker or 
assistant of Paul. Chap. iv. verse 2. * These only are my 
fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a 
comfort unto me? 

\\\ this letter, also, we have to notice that Paul entirely 
omits mention of any supernatural incidents in connection 
with Christ, and only refers to His death on the Cross, 
which indicates that lie knows of the real occurrence, but 
will not give his authority to the fables. 

Chap, ix, verse 20. And having made peace through the 
blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things untoHimself; 

Chap, ii, verse 1±. Blotting out the hand-writing of ordi- 
nances thai was against us, which was contrary to us, and 
took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross. 

That the name Jesus was quite common, is obvious from 
the frequency with which it occurs in the Scriptures, ap 



S2 Paul's Epistle to the Thkssalonians. 

plied to different individuals. The name of a prominent 
follower of Paul, as we find in this letter, was Jesus the 
Just. 

In regard to the doctrine of Paul we must again notice a 
considerable change. Here he seems to have more fully 
developed and perfected his theory. 

Chap, i, verse 10. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord 
unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and 
increasing in the knowledge of God. 

This whole epistle is written in the same moderate vein, 
and indicates the gradual development of mind in a more 
sincere direction. 



PAUL'S EPISTLE TO TEE THESSALOMANS. 



BOOK 1. 



Paul, in his first letter to the Thessalonians, appears to be 
very malancholy and humble. He avoids all startling 
remarks, and places himself on an equal footing with his 
fellow-workers. Chap, i, verse 1. ''Paul, and Silvanus, 
■and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians." He 
even beseeches them to recognize his fellow-workers, who, 
after all, were their superiors. Chap, v, verse 12. "And 
we beseech you brethren to know them vjhich labor among 
you and are over you in the Lord" He does not exhort 
them directly, because he was perhaps afraid of exciting 
their displeasure, but cunningly urges them, to warn others 
who are unruly, and to comfort those who are in need. 

Chap, v, verse 14. Now we exhmt you. brethren, warn 
-them that are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the 
weak, be patient toward all men. 

His independence of conduct has entirely disappeared ; 



Paul 5 s Epistle to the Thessaloniahs. 83 

lie humbly acknowledges this grace and requests them 
to pray for him. Chap, v, verse 25. "Brethren, pray 
for us" 

He had most probably experienced Violent opposition 
from them on account of his importunity, and in conse- 
quence^ was very moderate in his language. He admits the 
severity of his conduct toward them, but maintains his 
position and adds that although he had suffered much at 
Philippi on this account, he was bold to speak the word to 
them, even in spite of all the contention which it aroused 
against him, 

Chap, ii, verse 2. But even after that we had suffered he- 
fore, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Phil- 
ippic we were hold in our God to speak unto you the gospel 
•of God with much contention. 

He considered himself justified in doing so, because, in 
his opinion^ it Was the word of God he spoke. 

Chap, ii, verse 3. For our exhortation was not of deceit*, 
nor of %mcleanness, nor in guile ; 

4. But as we were allowed of God to he put in trust with 
the Gospel, even so we speak: not as phasing men*, hut God } 
which tfieth our hearts^ 

He considers that he treated them gently* and states that 
his exhortations were simply for their own good* even as a 
mother chastiseth her children. 

Chap, ii, verse 7. But ice were gentle among you, even as 
a nurse cherishetli her children* 

How could they have misconstrued his intentions, he asks, 
when they themselves had witnessed how blamelessly he 
had behaved, and how good he really was 2r 

Chap, ii, verse 10. Ye are witnesses, and God aho, how 
holily and justly and unblameahly we hehaved ourselves 
among you that helieve. 

Evidently he understood well how to natter them into 
recognition. 

Chap, i, verse 8. For from you sounded out the word of 
the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, hut aho in 



Si Paul's Epistle to the Thessalonians. 

every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so 
that we need not to speak any thing. 

Paul, on his visit to them, probably had intended to dis- 
play his supremacy, and to scold them into a proper sense 
of his superiority. He found, however,, that they were not 
disposed to submit to his parental corrections, and, after lie 
had left them, he dispatched Timothy to smooth over any 
soreness that his conduct had caused. 

Chap, iii, verse 4. For verily, when we were with you, we 
told you before that we should suffer tribulation ; even as it 
came to pass, and ye know. 

5. For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, F sent 
to know yoicr faith, lest by some means the tempter have 
tempted you, a?id our labor be in vain. 

6. But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and 
brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that 
ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to 
see us, as we cdso to see you. 

This letter gives us also clear evidences of Paul's cunning 
and pliable character. Wherever he found that he could 
not enforce his supremacy, he adopted milder means to at- 
tain his object. 

This letter, sent from Alliens, was most probably writ- 
ten before he had been in Pome, from where he wrote his 
epistles to the Coloasians, Philippians, Ephesians, and 
Galatians, and although his disconrse is here already of 
a more reformed character, age and experience had not as 
yet softened his character to the toleration which is found m 
kis later writings. 



Paul's Epistle to the Thessalojsians. 85 

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE THESSALOfflANS- 



BOOK IL 



Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians contains but few 
remarkable incidents or matters of importance, except that 
he gives a fair presentation of his opinion about Heaven, the 
fate of the unbelievers, and the works of the imagined Satan, 
or the evil spirit. 

Chap, i, verse 7. And to you who are troubled, rest with 
us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with 
His mighty angels, 

8. In flaming fire taking vengeance, on them that know 
not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus 
Christ / 

9. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction 
from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His 
power. 

Chap, ii, verse 8. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, 
whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, 
and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming : 

9. Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan,, 
with all power and signs and lying wonders. 

His expressions about the vengeance of God are very 
-exalted, and the decided terms in which he expresses his 
opinion upon this point, are entirely in conformity with the 
naggedness of his character. He assumes the position of an 
incontrovertible authority, and fancies his own testimony to 
be of the highest value. He was convinced that he revealed 
the truth, and maintains that in so much as his revelations 
were believed in, the Lord would be glorified ; those who 
did not believe in them would be punished with everlasting 
destruction. 

Chap, i, verse .9. Who shall be punished with everlasting 



S6 Paul's Epistle to the Thessalonians* 

dest motion from the presence of our Lord, or from the glo?y 
of His power. 

10. When lie snail come to he glorified in His saints, and 
to be admired in all them that believe, (because our testimony 
among you was believed,) in that day, 

Chap. ii> verse 12. That they all might he damned who be- 
lieved not the trtethy but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 

Satan, according to his ideas, is an evil spirit who. seems, 
to enjoy his existence very much, and does not care abont 
God or Christ, except that he tries to trouble them as much 
as possible. Not only was Sata-n invested with super- 
natural powers, but his followers also were able to work 
miracles. 

Chap, ii, verse 9. JEven him, whose coming is after the 
working of Satan, with all powers and signs' and lying, 
wonders. 

19. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in 
them that perish, becatise they received not the love of the- 
truth y that they might be saved. 

He even suggests that God is accessory to the evil works 
of Satan. 

Chap, ii, verse 11. 'And for this cause God shall send 
them strong delusion^ that they should believe a lie. 

These paragraphs must be satisfactory proof of Paul's, 
superstitious nature, and even though he may have found 
many adherents to his doctrines, this is no proof that they 
were in conformity with the teachings of Christ. Paul had 
never seen Christ; he was an apostle only by his own elec- 
tion and conceit. The power he received was self-assumed^ 
and in regard to his theories, we have no foundation on 
which to refer them to Christy beyond his own words. 



Paul's Epistle to Timothy. 87 

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. 



BOOK I. 



The most interesting documents we have from Paul are 
his letters to Timothy. Above all, we must take well into 
consideration the intimate relations which existed between 
these two, and that Timothy, but a young man, was a true 
and obedient servant of Paul. 

Chap, iv, verse 12. Let no man despise thy youth: out 
he thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation 
in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 

His invariable trust in Paul's teachings and commands, 
stimulated Paul's attachment to him. He loves Timothy 
very much, and calls him his dearly beloved son. 

Chap, i, verse 2. Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: 
Grace, mercy and peace, from God our Father and Jesus 
Christ our Lord. 

II Timothy, Chap, i, verse 2. To Timothy, my dearly 
beloved son: Grace, mercy and peace, from God the Father 
and Christ Jesus our Lord. 

He was Paul's pet protege, and was cared for by him 
with parental affection. 

Chap, v, verse 23. Drink no longer water, but use a little 
wine for thy stomach y s saJce and thine often infirmities. 

Paul is thoroughly familiar with the disposition of 
Timothy, and is aware that the latter will bear with his 
assumed airs of supremacy. Paul, therefore, in his com- 
munications to Timothy, assumes his full dignity and 
superiority as an apostle by the command of God. 

Chap, i, verse 10. Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ, by the 
commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, 
which is our hope. 

This he desires to impress sincerely upon Timothy. 



88 Paul's Epistle to Timothy. 

Chap, i, verse 15. This is a faithful saying, and worthy 
of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to 
save sin tiers / of whom I am chief. 

However, like a man who has no confidence in his own 
statements, but still is desirous of impressing them upon 
others, he comments upon his own suggestions. 

Chap, ii, verse 7. I speak the truth in Christ, and lie 
not / co teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. 

Paul's earnest exhortation to Timothy to oppose those 
who would promote other doctrines, must be proof that 
other antagonistic doctrines were prevalent, even among 
the believers. 

Chap, i, verse 3. As I besought thee to abide st'll at 
Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest 
charge some that they teach no other doctrine. 

He also cautions him not to give heed to the endless 
genealogies and fables which were current about Christ, 
characterizing them old wives' fables. 

Chap, i, verse 4. Neither give heed to fables and endless 
genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly 
edifying which is in faith : so do. 

Chap, iv, verse 7. But refuse profane and old wives' 
fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. 

Paul is thoroughly aware of the existence of such fables 
and the contentions concerning them, and is afraid that 
Timothy, as a prominent teacher of the Church, will be in- 
terrogated as to their correctness and involved in discus- 
sions. He therefore advises him to avoid such questions. 
Paul evidently did not believe in them himself, and was, 
therefore, unwilling to dupe his faithful helper ; yet still he 
was unwilling that they should be stoutly denied, as to do 
so might detract from the glorification of Christ and injure 
the Church. He earnestly exhorts Timothy to stand firmly 
by his trust, and not to be affected by these discussions. 

Chap, vi, verse 20. Timothy, keep) that which is com- 
mitted to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, 
and oppositions of science falsely so called. 



Paul's Epistle to Timothy. 89 

Paul was apprehensive of any conflict with science in 
regard to these fables, and so does his best to avoid it. This 
proves the equivocal character of his theories! The truth 
always speaks for itself, and needs no concealment. 

He deems it necessary to impress upon Timothy the sin- 
cerity of the cause, as an answer to all doubts in regard 
to the mysteries. 

Chap, iii, verse 16. And without controversy great is the 
mystery of godliness ; God was manifest in the flesh, justi- 
fied in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, 
believed on in the world, received up into glory. 

We cannot fail to observe how cleverly Paul attempts to 
extricate himself out of the prevailing difficulties, without 
committing himself on either side. His arguments are very 
suggestive, and his testimony rather dubious. When he 
says, " believed on in the world," we cannot but consider 
this most equivocal, as the believers were not numerous, 
and many of those who had been converted, subsequently 
deserted their profession. Of this we have ample evidence 
in several places. 

Chap, i, verse 19. Holding faith, and a good conscience : 
which some having put away, concerning faith have made 
shipwreck : 

20. Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander • whom 1 
have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blas- 
pheme. 

Paul's opinion in regard to matrimony also underwent a 
change, as a consequence of his development of mind ; and 
while he formerly advocated that it was better for man to 
cling to the single state, he now recommends that Bishops 
should be married, and even going so far as to denounce 
the forbidding of marriage as a doctrine of the devil. 

Chap, iii, verse 2. A bishop then must be blameless, the 
husband of one wife. 

Chap, iv, verse 1. Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that 
in the latter times some sh'dl depart from the faith, giving 
heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils / 



90 Paul's Epistle to Timothy. 

Terse 2. Speaking lies in hypocrisy / having their con- 
science seared with a hot iron ; 

3. Forbidden to marry. 

His own aversion to the female sex is evident however, 
from his many invidious and disgraceful expressions about 
them, and especially as to widows, as well as in regard to 
the subordinate position he believes that women ought 
generally to occupy. . 

Chap, ii, verse 12. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor 
to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 

Chap, v, verse 11. But the younger widows refuse : for 
when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they 
will marry ; 

12. Having damnation, because they have cast off their 
first faith. 

13. And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about 
from house to house ; and not only idlers but tattlers also, 

and busy bodies speaking things which they ought not. 

Chap, v, verse 14. I will therefore that the younger 
women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none 
occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfidly . 

He does not consider them fitted for companions, but 
only as a sort of slaves who are deserving of little conside- 
ration. Neither does he recognize the genuine nature of 
the true woman ; that she is disposed to be refined and 
accomplished, and destined to exercise the greatest influ- 
ence on the moral and spiritual welfare of humanity. 
To him they are only the subordinate and inferior sex, 
condemned from the beginning. This he attempts to prove 
by citing the old ridiculous fable of Adam and Eve. 

Chap, ii, verse 13. For Adam was first formed, then 
Eve. 

14. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being 
deceived was in the transgression . 

Though uf prominent descent, according to his own sug- 
gestion, what delicacy or refinement can he have possessed, 
when he indulges in such disgraceful expressions as these. 



Paul's Epistle to Timothy. 91 

Chap. i 3 verse 9, " Knowing this that the law is not made 
for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient / 
for the ungodly and for sinners, for ungodly and prof ane, 
for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for 
manslayers, for whoremongers \ for them, that defile them- 
selves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured 
persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to 
sound doctrine." 

This epistle gives us an undisguised illustration of Paul's 
low and hypocritical character, and his acute skill in evad- 
ing all disagreeable opposition. 

The letter was written from Laodicea, and most probably 
before Paul had been in Rome, as it is stated in the begin- 
ning of the letter that Timothy was still very young. Paul 
did not go to Pome until during his later years, and from 
there he wrote his second letter to Timothy when the latter 
was a bishop of the Church at Ephesus. 



PAUL'S EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. 



BOOK II. 



PauFs attachment to Timothy is shown in this letter to be 
undiminished, and finds expression in exalted praise of him. 

II Timothy, Chap, i, verse 3. I thank God, whom I serve 
from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without 
ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night 
and day ; 

4. Greatly desiring ta see thee, being mindful of thy tears r 
that I may be filled vjith joy ; 

5. When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is 
in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy 
mother Eunice • and I am persuaded that m thee also. 



92 Paul's Epistle to Timothy. 

Here, again, we observe the unfeigned character of Paul, 
who, like all hypocrites, is profuse in praise for those who 
are firmly, devoted to him, and as extremely indignant to 
those who are opposed. He takes the opportunity of draw- 
ing attention to. the terrible sufferings which he has endured, 
and of glorifying himself before his humble followers. 

Chap, i, verse 3. Be not thou therefore ashamed of 
the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner / hut 
be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to 
the power of God ; 

12. For the which cause I also suffer these tilings ; never- 
theless I am not ashamed ; for I know whom I have be- 
lieved,, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which 
I have committed unto Him against that day. 

Chap, ii, verse 9. Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil 
doer, even unto bonds / but the toord of God is not bound. 

10. Therefore I endure all t J tings for the electfs sales, 
that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ 
Jesus with eternal glory. 

On this account he exhorts Timothy to be steadfast in 
faith through suffering, holding before himself the ^ood 
Paul for an example. 

Chap, ii, verse 1. Thou therefore, my son be strong in the 
grace that is in Christ Jesus. 

Chap, iii, verse 10. But thou has fully known my doctrine, 
manner of life, purpose, faith, long-siffcring, charity, 
patience. 

11. Persecution, afflictions, which came unto me at Anti- 
och, at Iconia, at Lystra / what persecutions I endured: 
hut of them all the Lord delivered "me. 

Paul, here, must be taken as referring more particularly 
to his persecutions at Antioeh, Iconium, and Lystra. His 
sufferings at Rome, from where he writes this, could not 
have been so very severe, as, from the fact of their having 
occurred so recently, he would otherwise have described 
them in detail. 

That sensible people, in general, shall become indignant 



Paul's Epistle to Timothy. 93 

at such importunate self-iaudatory insinuations, and should 
from this cause refuse to accept his ministrations, is not to 
be wondered at. Chap, i, verse 15. " This thou hiowest 
that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me / 
ofiohom are Phygellus and Hermogenes" Chap, iv, verse 4. 
"Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil > the Lord 
reward him according to his works." In another place lie 
refers to two others of his opponents, and to ther pernicious 
influence. Chap* ii, verse 17. w And this word will eat as 
doth a canker ; of whom is Ilymenaus and Phyletas. 

Paul's conduct alone, we may suggest, though obnoxious 
to many, could not have caused the numerous desertions 
from the ranks of his followers, of which we read, because 
real honest faith would not be shaken by reason of the 
offensive behaviour of one man. Sincere reflection alone 
upon the gospel teachings must have caused those who were 
not already prejudiced to be filled with doubt. Chap, ii, 
verse 18. " Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that 
the resurrection is passed already ; and overthroiv the faith 
of some." Paul steadfastly maintains the doctrine he has 
adopted, and endeavors to enforce it by cunning suggestion 
of the alleged antecedents of Christ ; however cautious 
of the danger of the free discussion ot such subjects. He 
states that Christ is descended from the seed of David, but 
having nothing to support such !a theory, warns Timothy 
not to argue the genealogical question, neither the theory 
of resurrection. Chap, ii, verse 8. "Remember that Jesus 
Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead, ac- 
cording to my gospel?' Verse 16. i( But shun prof ane and 
vain babblings; for they will increase unto more ungodliness." 
Vei'se 23. " But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, 
knowing that they do gender strifes." Here Paul quotes his 
own gospel as being the only reliable authority on such 
matters. 

It appears that while Paul was at Rome, the distrust and 
dissension must have been general, even among his own 
followers, as, at his defence before Nero, no one* dared to 



91 Paui/s Epistle To Timothy. 

support his cause. Chap, iv, verse 16. " At my first answer 
no man stood with me, hut all men forsook me ; I pray God 
that it may not he laid to their charge" 

Paul's defence, no doubt, was a great one, as it is proved 
that he was ready in argument as in boasting. 

Terse IT. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and 
strengthened me; that by me the preaching might ~be fully 
known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was 
delivered; out of the mouth of the lion. 

He had been victorious in the defence of his cause ; he 
had fulfilled his course, and was ready to die. Pie was, at 
this time, to judge from the following sentence, already aged. 

Chap, iv, verse 6. For I am now ready to he offered, and 
the time of my departure is at hand. 

7. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, 
I have kept the faith. 

This is in entire consonance with his general tone, and is 
intended only to add to the sum of his glorious deeds. 
Although he states that he has finished his course, he evi- 
dently expects to continue his ministry, and in an uncon- 
cerned way advises Timothy concerning certain small items. 

Chap. iv. verse 11, Only Luke is with me-. Take Mark, 
and hring him with thee: for he is profitable for the minis- 
try. 

12. And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus. 

13. The cloak that 1 left at Troas with Carpics, when thou 
contest, hring with thee, and the hooks, hut especially the 
parchment. 

He finally boasts of what God will do for him, the greatest 
of the apostles. Verse 18. " And the Lord shall deliver me 
from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heav- 
enly kingdom : to whom he glory for ever and ever." 



Paul's Epistle to Titus. 95 

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO TITUS. 



But few remarkable incidents are mentioned in Paul's 
letter to Titus, his trusted companion, and one of his earliest 
fellow- workers. Galatians, Chap, ii, verse 1. " Then four- 
teen years after I went up again to Jerusalem ivith Barna- 
has, and took Titus with me also" 

Titus was, perhaps, of about the same age as Paul, and 
having had some experience as a Christian teacher, and pos- 
sessing an independent judgment, was treated more deferen- 
tially by Paul. In the first place we notice that Paul does 
not commence his epistle to him by a reference to his al- 
leged prominent position. 

Chap, i, verse 1, Paul a servant of God, and an apostle 
of *Jestts Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and 
the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness. 

He claims, however, some authority over Titus, as he had 
ordained him to be a bishop. In that relation he takes the 
liberty of advising him as to his conduct. 

4. To Titles mine own son after the common faith: Grace^ 
mercy and peace, from God the Father cvnd the Lord Jesus 
Christ our Saviour. 

5. For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou 
shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and 
ordain elders in every city, as 1 had appointed, thee. 

7. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of 
God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, 
no striker, not given to filthy lucre ; 

8. But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, 
just, holy, temperate. 

That he had more confidence in the ability of Titus than 
of Timothy, we may observe from the rigorous course which 
he recommends him to take in promulgating the faith. 

Chap, i, verse 11. Whose mouths must be stopped, who 
subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, 
for filthy lucre's sake. 



96 Paul's Epistle to Titus. 

His hypocrisy, we must readily observe, from his conduct 
towards Titus, who was a Greek, Gaiatians, Chap, ii, verse 
3. " But neither Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was 
compelled to be circumcised" To whom he tries to show his 
attachment by speaking in terms of detestable reproach 
about his own people, the Jews. 

Chap, i, verse 10. For there are many unruly and vain 
talkers awl deceivers, specially they of the circumcision. 

12. One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, 
The Gretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. 

13. This 'witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, 
that they may be sound in the faith. 

He even cautions him in reference to the fables about 
Christ, which he denounces as Jewish fables. 

Verse 14. "Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and command- 
ments of men, that turn from the truth. 

That these "fables" could refer onlv to those regarding 
Christ, must be plain, as no other could interfere with Paul's 
idea of Christ and his mission, the " Jewish fables" of the 
Old Testament being accepted by him. 

Chap, iii, verse 8 Noxo as Jannes and J~ambres withstood 
Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, 
reprobate concerning the faith. 

They could be none other than those relating to Christ's 
life and miracles, and that they must have been the cause 
of great discussion and contention, is evident from the ear- 
nest way in which Titus is cautioned to avoid them. 
Chap, iii, verse 9. " Btit avoid foolish questions and gen- 
ea } ogles, and contentions, and strivings about the law ; for 
they are unprofitable and vain" 

There were numbers, as we know, who for various 
reasons, left the church, which was in course of foundation 
by Paul and the apostles, and that they were those of the 
educated class, we find ample proof everywhere. Their 
sound reasoning against the fabulous gospel teachings vexed 
Paul greatly. His spiteful feeling, in consequence, toward 
Zenas the lawyer, and Apollos is shown in 

Chap, iii, verse 13. Bring Zenas the lawyer and Appollos 



97 

on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto 
them. 

Apollos most probably is the same to whom Luke refers 
in his Acts, Chap, xviii, verse 24, and Paul formerly sjjoke 
well of, and who, in fact, previously was a prominent fol- 
lower of John the Baptist, 1 Corinthians, Chap, i, verse 12. 
- Now this I say. that every on of eyou saith — I am of 
Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ" 

There can be no doubt that the gospel of an almighty and 
single God, with Jesns Christ as a Saviour and Mediator, as 
variously advocated by the apostles, soon gained ground 
among the Gentiles ; but it is also certain that the fables 
concerning Chrisr, subsequently caused great dissension. 
Paul considered these fables in a manner necessary to con- 
firm the divine character of Christ, as all the prophets of 
earlier days had left their record of miracles wrought bv 
them, therefore, whether he believed in them or not, he does 
not dispute them. In fact, he does not believe in them ; 
he is painfully aware of their doubtful character. Be dare 
not dispute them, for fear of losing a large number of his 
followers; he dare not attempt to prove their probability, 
for fear of establishing the contrary. Therefore, he cun- 
ningly cautions the preachers working with him, to avoid 
such questions. To Titus he says, in regard to them : 

Chap, i, verse 15. Unto the pure all things are pure : but 
unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure ' 
but even their mind and conscience is defiled. 

If miracles had really taken place, there would have been 
no need to conceal them ; on the contrary, it would have 
been advantageous to reveal and explain them. 



PAUL'S EPISTLE TO PHILEMON. 



Philemon seems to have been a prominent and most dig- 
nified apostle of the gospel, whom Paul in consequence 



98 Paul's Epistle to Philemon. 

addresses in moderate language, and toward whom he is 
careful to avoid any show of authority or superiority. 

(Jimp, i, verse 1. Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and 
Timothy oar brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and 
fellow -laborer, 

2. And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellow- 
soldier, and to the church in thy house; 

lie expresses his sincere attachment to Philemon by a 
common phrase of his, that he never forgets him in his 
prayers. 

Terse 4. 1 thank my God, making mention of thee always 
in my prayers. 

He is loud in his praise of Philemon's merits, and his 
epistle is full of adulation. 

Yeree G. That the communication of thy faith may be- 
come effectual by the acknowledging of every good tiling 
which is in you in Christ Jesus. 

7. For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, be- 
cause the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother. 

Paul wishes, however, to draw some attention to his own 
high position after all, and as Philemon was one of his own 
converts, he flatters himself that in this instance he is en- 
titled to a mention of it. 

Verse 8. Wherefore, though 1 might be much bold in 
Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient. 

9. Yet for lovers sake I rather beseech thee. 

19. 1 Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will 
repay it : albeit I do not say to thee how thou owe si unto me 
sven thine own self besides. 

This may be going too far, so as he desires to retain the 
good-will of Philemon, he flatters him by stating that he 
would be gratified if Philemon would count him a partner. 

Verse 17. If thotc count me therefore a partner, receive- 
him as myself. 

This letter seems to have been written to Philemon for 
the special purpose of reconciling him with Onesimus, who 
appears to have at one time excited Philemon's displeasure. 



Paul's Epistle to Philemon. 99 

Verse 10. I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I 
have begotten in my bonds : 

11. Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now 
profitable to thee and to me : 

12. Whom I have sent again : thou therefore receive him 
that is mine own bowels, 

18. If he hath ivronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that 
on mine account. 

This young man probably had become very dear to Paul, 
and was perhaps a near relative of Philemon, and to recon- 
cile them was Paul's special object. The letter itself must 
have been written on one of Paul's later visits to Rome, as 
he refers to Demas, w T ho was then still one of their allies, 
and to Luke, who had by this time become somewhat 
prominent. Terse 23. •' There salute thee. Epaphro.s, my 
fellow -prisoner in Christ Jesus / Marcus, Aristarchus, 
Demas, Lucas, my fellow-laborers" 

At this time Paul was well on in years, which Philemon 
must have known. Terse 9. " Yet for love's sake I rather 
beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and note 
also a prisoner of Christ'' 

Mark and Luke, whom he mentions here as his fellow, 
laborers, we must suppose to have been much younger, and 
both, we may suggest— as the time of this writing was 
about forty years after Christ's birth — were born several 
years after Christ's crucifixion. This fact has to be taken 
into consideration iu reviewing their evangelisms. 



COMMENTS ON PAUL. 



From, the many epistolary documents we have from 
Paul, we are enabled to form a decided opinion of his char- 
acter, ability and position, and his particular religious con- 
victions. We can have no doubt, after a consideration of 
these epistles, that he was a believer in the divinity of 
Jesus Christ, and was convinced that he had been converted 
by a miracle, and designed by God to be a special apostle 
of Jesus Christ. In this high mission he was most ener- 
getic and bold, but his unrestrainable temper and haughti- 
ness, together with the peculiar idiosyncracies he exhibited, 
largely frustrated the success which his restless activity and 
unquestioned ability would otherwise have accomplished. 

The most striking point in his writings, as has before 
been pointed out, is the absence of all reference to Christ's 
miracles. Paul was most serious in his glorification of 
Christ, yet all the alleged incidents that tend to support 
this glorification, he wilfully ignores. His explanation of 
how the resurrection of Christ should be understood, to- 
gether with his repeated caution against the acceptance of 
fables and genealogies concerning Him, must be sufficient 
proof, therefore, that no supernatural acts were ever per- 
formed by Christ, and that the wonders attributed to Him 
were only the common talk of the .ignorant and super- 
stitious, to which the educated men, such as Paul, attached 
no importance and gave no credence. 

In regard to Paul's doctrines, there is little evidence of 
any sudden inspiration. There is nothing original about 
them. They were developed, as his writings show, by do- 



Comments on Paul. 101 

grees. Many people during the time of his apostleship 
deserted Paul on account of his teachings, therefore, we 
cannot accept him as an undeniable gospel authority, but 
must simply acknowledge him to be a mail who strenuously, 
and to some extent successfully, advocated the doctrines he 
believed in, the correctness of which, however, tiiere is 
nothing to show. That Christ actually lived, and Mas a 
spiritual teacher, or prophet, so-called, there is no doubt, 
but there were many other prophets in those days. The 
cause of the primary success of the Christian Church was 
not the doctrine of Christ, but the revelation of a single and 
almighty God, among the Gentiles 



THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, 



This document, which was written by Luke, gives us a 
very interesting account of some acts of the apostles. But 
before we enter into a discussion of them, let us first con- 
sider who the narrator was, the circumstances which sur- 
rounded him, and'the sources from which he obtained his 
information. 

Luke was a physician at Rome, of Romish descent, and 
had not been circumcised. Paul, in his letter to the Col- 
iossians (Chap, iv, verse 11) mentions those u of the circum- 
cision *' who were with him in Rome, and in this list Luke 
is not included. Luke must have been a convert of later 
date, for Paul does not mention his name in his letters from 
Rome to Timothy, the Philippians, the Ephesians, or the 
Galatians, which were written during his first sojourn 
there, while in the letters written during his second and 
third visits he mentions Luke's name with much affection. 
Owing to the character of his pursuit, Luke could not 
travel as much as the other apostles, but had to remain at 
home, where he had his circle of friends and clients, and 
for this reason we only hear about him through Paul from 
Rome. He once made a trip to Jerusalem however, with 
Paul, which must have occurred after Paul's second or 
third visit to Rome. 

Paul was sincerely attached to Luke, which may be ob- 
served from the tender expressions he uses about him. 
Luke was an ardent Christian and sincerely devoted to 



The Acts of the Apostles. 103 

Paul. This latter trait does not say much for the vigor of 
his mind, as we know Paul too well, to suppose that those 
who could suffer his extravngances and feel attachment for 
such a character, could be anything but weak, credulous 
and subordinate in their nature. Demas, Alexander, Zenas, 
A pull os, aud others, who probably were of superior mind, 
could not agree with him, and therefore deserted his 
cause. 

Luke was most probably an inoffensive and inexperienced 
young man, who had unconditionally embraced the new 
gospel. On ] lis journey with Paul through Greece and 
Crete to Jerusalem, he probably learned many of those 
fables which were then in circulation concerning Christ. 
They were communicated to him, in all sincerity by simple- 
minded Christians, and he could therefore scarcely doubt 
their authenticity. It was the policy of Paul, as we know, not 
to deny these fables, but only to caution his disciples not to 
discuss them. It is scarcely to be wondered at, therefore, 
that Luke should accept a number of these current stories, 
having Christ's glorification for their special object. During 
his stay in Jerusalem, only important matters concerning 
the Church might have been discussed, and the question of 
miracles, perhaps, were never thought or spoken of among 
the brethren. Neither w T ould Luke inquire about them, 
being a new convert, for fear of appearing to be doubtful 
and distrusting. According to his own report of the visit, 
there were few of the adherents of the new doctrines left at 
Jerusalem, and these lived in the utmost retirement. Peter, 
James, John, Jude, and other prominent apostles resided in 
other countries, and it was probably not safe for them to 
stay at Jerusalem for any length of time. Thus Luke 
would have little chance of discussing the miracles of which 
he had heard, even had he felt disposed to do so. 

The time when Luke wrote his gospel, and shortly after- 
wards the Acts, must have been a long time subsequent to 
his visit to Jerusalem, and at least fifty years after the death 
of Christ. We may fairly assume, too, that it was after the 



104 The Acts of the Apostles. 

death of Paul they were written, as, after what he says in 
regard to fables and geneaologies, it is scarcely likely that 
lie would have countenanced Luke, with whose doings he 
was well acquainted during life — in recording such things 
On the other hand, we may suggest that Luke, being 
relieved by the death of Paul from the pressure which 
restricted him to secrecy on such matters, gathered all these 
fables, in his zeal that all which was known of Christ 
should be recorded and preserved, and together with the 
Acts of the Apostles, systemized them according to his best 
judgment. This he did alone, or perhaps assisted by his 
fellow believers. 

We cannot insist, however, that Luke wilfully intended 
to deceive, or to misrepresent the life and actions of Christ 
and the apostles by his statements. He may have himself 
believed the stories he tells about them. His motive in writ- 
ing- the Acts of the Apostles — which can scarcely be so en- 
titled, as only a few of the acts of some apostles are given — 
may prohably have been to bring himself into prominence, 
and to relate his experiences during|his trip to Jerusalem. 
His work, itself, seems to be divided into two distinct parts. 
The first division, extending to chapter xx, verse 5, being 
founded on communications and rumors, and the remainder 
being devoted to an account of iiis own experience in con- 
nection with Paul. 

The first division may again be divided up to the thir- 
teenth chapter, being exclusively devoted to the acts of some 
of the original apostles and chief dignitaries ; which, being 
the more distant in the time of occurrence, are founded on 
unreliable data, and largely abound in mystery and mir_ 
acles. The second part of this sub-division especially refers 
to the actions of Paul, but which Luke could have had no 
opportunity of witnessing. This part contains some insig- 
nificant wonder tales of Paul's heroism and marvellous 
powers, only one of which alleged occurrences, however, is 
alluded to by Paul himself. We may believe that Paul 
knew and even secretlv influenced the circulation of these 



The Acts of the Apostles. 105 

wonder stones about himself, as he was always clamorous 
about his own importance and his miraculous works. 

The last part of the Acts, which gives the acts and ex- 
periences of Luke himself, makes no mention of any unnat- 
ural occurrences at all, and is most sensible, and even 
entertaining. 

The resurrection of Christ, which was explained by Paul 
in a figurative or spiritual sense, is referred to by Luke at 
the beo-innins: of the Acts, as an actual fact. We have no 
doubt that he simply states this in the way superstitious 
believers had represented it to him. His credulity and 
reliance on the representations of others is often shown, and 
this statement about the resurrection is, therefore, not sur- 
prising. 

Acts, Chap, i, verse 5. \ o whom also He shovjed Himself 
alive after Ms passion by many infallible proof s, being seen 
of 'the m forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to 
the kingdom of God. 

He neglects to adduce any of these infallible proofs, 
however, and is not stated to turn up often. 

In regard to the few words, which it is alleged Christ had 
spoken during his forty days sojourn on earth after the 
resurrection, any comment is useless ; for if the principal 
theory is false, the connecting transactions are invalid also. 
The only question left for consideration is, in whom should 
we place the greatest confidence, in Paul, who explained 
the resurrection and ascension of Christ figuratively, and 
whom we have reason to consider as a superior authority ; 
or in Luke, who was many years his junior, and who had 
lived many years after the death of Christ, and far distant 
from the place of the occurrence? It would also be useless 
to comment on all the minor suggestions of Luke, after hav- 
ing shown that the essential part is fictitious; but merely to 
demonstrate his want of sound judgment and the great 
blunders which he commits, we cite the following incidents 
as reported by him. 

Cliap. v. V' rse 5. And Ananias hearing these words fell 



106 The Acts of the Apostles 

down, and g ive up the ghost; and great fear c im-i on all 
them that heard these things. 

6. And the young men arose, ivoimd him up) and car- 
ried him out and buried him. 

Even should we believe it possible that Ananias suddenly 
dropped down dead at such a time, it is most improbable 
Ithat he should have been taken away immediately and 
t buried without the slightest formality or preparation. The 
body would not have had time to cool. Even a pauper 
would not be buried with such indecent haste. And that 
nut even his wife should know anything of what had hap- 
pened is more singular still. 

Verse 7. And It was about three hours after, when his 
wife, not knowing to hat was done, came in. 

9. Then said Peter unto her, How is it that ye have 
agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord f Behold, 
the feet of them which have ouried thy husband are at the 
door, and shall carry thee out. 

10. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and 
yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and 

found her dead, and carrying her forth, hurried her by 
her husband. 

These atrocious acts on the part of the apostles were com- 
mitted simply because of the attempt of Ananias to deceive 
Peter, and even assuming that they had such power to 
demonstrate the dire displeasure of the Almighty —assum- 
ing this in the most deeply reverent spirit — one cannot but 
be struck with the enormity of the punishment in compari- 
son with the offence. 

The miraculous power which Luke ascribes to the 
apostles is even greater than that attributed to Christ 
Himself. 

Chap, v, verse 15. Insomuch that they brought forth the 
sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that 
at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow 
some of them . 

Even the angels came straight down from heaven to open 



The Acts of the Apostles. 107 

the prison doors for Peter. Yerse 19. " But the angel of 
the Lord by night, opened the prison doors, and brought him 
forth:' 

Luke, who, of course, had not witnessed these miracles, 
heedlessly believed in all these things which were communi- 
cated to him. Miracles seemed to him to be the expected 
and natural occurrences where the apostles were concerned. 
His faith led him to think that even ordinary people, if 
they were true believers, could exercise such power. Chap, 
vi, verse 8. " And Stephen, fall of faith, did great miracles 
among the people." This Stephen, who died a martyr for 
the sake of his faith, must also have been a special favorite 
of God, in Luke's opinion. 

Chap, vi, verse 15. a And all that sat in the council, 
looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the 
face of an angel. . 

Chap, vii, verse 55. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, 
looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God? 
and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. 

This is all interesting enough, but who of all the Jews 
that were sitting in Council before Stephen, testified that 
they really recognized the angelic change in his appearance ; 
and who can prove that the heavens really opened and God, 
with- Christ at His right hand, was seen, as the tableau is 
described as witnessed only by Stephen. The whole may have 
been but a delusion, or a pretension on the part of Stephen 
to deceive his persecutors. We may, however, rather suggest, 
that these delusions originated from Luke himself, or were 
imparted to him by superstitious people. In the latter case 
he would scarcely remember the exact words of the various 
conversations, and the details of all the occurrences which 
took place. Had Luke been personally known to Peter, 
the case would be very different; but there is no evidence 
that these two ever met. 

Philip, who is occasionally mentioned by Paul as being 
his fellow- worker, also, according to Luke, performed many 
great miracles, the exact nature of which, unfortunately, 



108 The Acts of the Apostles. 

however, arc not stated. In fact, from the way Luke alludes 
to them, miracles must have been considered by him as 
mundane matters not worth describing. 

Chap, viii, verse 6. And the people with one accord gave 
heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and see- 
big the miracles which he did. 

Even an angel appeared before this Philip, just to tell 
him that God had decided that he should go southward, 
where he would meet a great and rich man, whom God 
wished to have converted. This man had returned from 
Jerusalem where Peter and John, who were there at that 
time, might easily have undertaken the man's conversion; 
but God seems to have specially wished that Philip should 
liave the honor of saving this particular soul. 

25. And they, when they had testified and preached the 
word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the 
gospel in many milages of the Samaritans. 

26. And the angel of the Lord spake unto Phillip, say- 
ing, arise, and go toward tlie south, unto the way that goeth 
down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. 

27. And he arose and went : and, oehold, a man of 
Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority tinder Candace 
queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her 
treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship. 

28. Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read 
Esaias the prophet. 

A greater miracle still had Philip performed on another 
great man, who was also endowed with supernatural power, 
but of a different kind to that of Philip. 

Chap, viii, verse 9. But there was a certain man called, 
Simeon, which beforetime in the same city used' sorcery, and 
bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was 
some great one. 

This man, seeing the great miracles which Philip did, was 
astonished, and subsequently became baptized. This proves 
the peculiar idea that all sorts of miracles were to happen. 

Chap, viii, verse 13, Then Simon himself believed also: 



The Acts of the Apostles. 109 

and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and 
wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. 
Another man, an apostle, of course, had a conversation 
with God, in which he was told to call upon a man named 
Saul, who was waiting for him. And then, at the same time, 
another miracle was performed on Saul, as the angel explains. 

11. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the 
street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of 
Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus • for, behold, he 
prayeth, 

12. And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias 
coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might re- 
ceive his sight. 

It is, indeed, a singular feature in Luke's writings, that 
he represents every occurrence in so mysterious a way, and 
that the miracles after the departure ot". Christ should have 
been more varied and extravagant than those which he re- 
veals about Christ Himself. Everything, no matter how 
ordinary or insignificant, is stated by him to have been 
done by God's special direction and instigation, and in this 
way the simplest occurrences are magnified into miracles. 
Take, for example, this story of Saul and Ananias. The 
latter, a pious man and sincere believer in Christ, had been 
informed that Saul, the much-feared persecutor of the 
Christians, was prostrated with sickness, and was repenting 
his malicious conduct toward the Christians, and thereupon 
Ananias went, of his own free will, to visit the sick man. 
Saul's blindness — occasioned, we may say, by the lightning, 
— about this time gradually passed away. Why God should 
have been guilty of such a farce as that ascribed to Him by 
Luke, in order to bring about such an insignificant occur- 
rence, is quite incomprehensible. Neither can we discover 
where Luke acquired his exact knowledge of the proceed- 
ings and conversations, which he relates in so closely 
connected a form, as he only knew Saul (or Paul) in later 
.years, and Ananias probably not at all. Luke apparently 
p)ved and believed in mystery, and probably what was not 



110 The Acts of the Apostles. 

communicated to him in that spirit, he himself improved in 
this direction. All that concerned God and Jesus Christ, 
had to be mysterious and supernatural. In dealing with 
the followers of His Son, God would not avail himself of the 
natural means, but embrace every opportunity of showing 
his arbitrary power. This was Luke's idea. 

The conversion of Saul, mentioned before, is here related 
in so mysterious a manner, that it bears but little resem- 
blance to other reports of the same incident. 

There is another point. Luke seems to think there w T as 
no distinction of power between Christ and His human 
apostles and adherents. The power of raising the dead, for 
instance, he attributes to Peter. 

Chap, ix, verse 40. But Peter put them all forth, and 
kneeled down, and prayed / and turning him to the body 
said, Tabiiha, arise. And she opened her eyes : and when 
she saw Peter, she sat up. 

Luke does not even limit the power of seeing heavenly 
visions to the true believers only. 

Chap, x, verse 1. There was a certain man in Cesarea 
called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian 
band, 

3. He saw in a vision evidently, about the ninth hour of 
the day, an angel of God coming in to him, and, saying un- 
to/rim, Cornelius. 

4z. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said. 
What is it, Lord? And He said unto him, Thy prayers 
and thine. alms are come up for a memorial before God. 

5. And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, 
id hose stir name is Peter. 

The vision of Peter, or trance, as Luke calls it, is an ap- 
pendix to the former real angel appearance, and had to be 
narrated in order to coincide with that story. 

Chap.x, verse 10. "And he became very hungry, and 
woidd have eaten, but while they made ready, he fell into 
a trance. 

11. And saw heaven opened, and, a certain vessel descend- 



The Acts of the Apostles. Ill 

ing unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four 
corners, and let down to the earth : 

This miracle was probably manufactured to justify the 
participation of the heathen in the benefit of the Church, to 
which the converted Jews probably claimed to be alone 
entitled. 

In regard to Peter's second imprisonment and release, 
we must wonder that God allowed him to be imprisoned 
at all, as he could have told him in a dream to escape to a 
safe place. God, however, according to Luke, was aware 
that He could easily liberate His servant, and preferred to 
do it with as much display of His power as possible. The 
authorities, in remembrance of Peter's previous escape, not 
only imprisoned him, with a strong guard, but shackled his 
hands and feet with chains. 

Chap, xii, verse 7. And behold the angel of the Lord came 
upon him, and a light shined in the prison ; and he smote 
Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise tip 
quickly, . And his chains fell from his hands. 

But in this little game between God and the humans, 
there does not appear to have been exactly fair play. We 
cannot but consider it most unjust that the two keepers who, 
by God's will, allowed the prisoner to escape, should have 
received the punishment for God's own deed. 

Chap, xii, verse 19. And ichen Herod had sought for him, 
and found him not, he examined the keepers, and com- 
manded that they should be put to death. 

It is a matter for wonder, too, that God suffered James, 
the brother of John, to be killed by Herod, when it was so 
easy for Him to prevent it. Chap, xii, verse 2. "And 
hilled James the brother of John with a sword' Whether 
this James really existed, and was a prominent member of 
the Church, there is nothing to show. He might be the 
author of the epistle of that name, and consequently the 
brother of the evangelist John, to whom the latter, however, 
never referred. 

Remarkable also is the reported death of Herod, which 



112 The Acts of the Apostles. 

was not in consequence of his conduct towards the aposiles 
or believers, but for personal vanity. But this death scene 
of Herod, shows the childish imagination of Luke. Herod 
was dissatisfied with the Jews of Syria and Sidon, or proba- 
bly reprimanded them. On this occasion he may have been 
very angry and harsh, and addressed them in an arbitrary 
way. This induced the Jews to accuse him that he was 
arrogating to himself an authority beyond him, and spoke 
not as a fellow man, but as a god. It is represented that 
tiiis angered God, and He sent down an angel to punish 
Herod with an awful death. 

21. And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, 
sat upon Ms throne, and made and oration unto them. 

22. And the people gave a shout, saying, it is a voice of a 
god, and not of a man. 

23. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote hitn^ be- 
beeause he gave not God the glory / and he was eaten of 
worms, and gave up the ghost. 

All this portion of Luke's report is full of mystery and 
obscurity, and shows that the writer must have been in a 
pitiable state of superstitious feeling. 

Thus far Luke refers only to some of the more prominent 
members of the church, and although Peter and John at all 
events lived long after the time referred to, and labored in 
Asia Minor and Greece, they are never mentioned again. 
This proves that he only knew them by tradition, and never 
had travelled much or come in contact with them. Neither 
could he have personally known anything of them at the 
time to which this history refers, as he was a convert of 
later date. 

Chapter xiii of the Acts commenced a new epoch with 
Paul, and successively introduces entirely new people, and 
more reasonable reports come forth. The first verse reads : 

Now there were in the Church that was at Antioch certain 
prophets and teachers ; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was 
called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which 
had been brought vp with Herod the tetrach, and Said. 



The Acts of the Apostles. 113 

This seems to be the time when Paul first entered upo 
his ministry, and according to Luke's fancy, again being 
divinely inspired to the work, but this time by the Holy 
Ghost. Verse 2. " As they administered to the Lord and 
fasted, the Holy Ghost said, separate me Barnabas and 
Paul for the Work w hereunto I have called themP 

John, who was at first in company with Paul, appears to 
have disagreed with and parted from him. Terse 13. 
" Now when Paul and his companion loosed from Pam- 
jphos they came to Serga in Pamphylia, and John separat- 
ing from them returned to Jerusalem n 

Luke's references to John the Baptist, as the alleged fore- 
runner of Christ, were possibly based upon communications 
from Paul, but we must at once observe that the theories of 
Luke in reference to John the Baptist do not entirely cor- 
respond with those of Paul, but rather convey the idea that 
John, instead of co-operating with Christ, was a prophet 
of himself, and preached the baptism of repentance and the 
coming of the expected Messiah, but not in relation to 
Christ. 

Chap, xiii, verse 2-i. When John had first 'preached be- 
fore his coining the baptism of repentance to all the people of 
Israel. 

Neither can he have recognized Christ, or he would have- 
advised his adherents to follow His gospel as the only sure 
way to salvation. John is said to have baptized Christ, but 
no where is it stated that he acknowledged Him as the 
expected Messiah. On the contrary, John kept his own 
followers, and they did not know anything of Christ until 
long after the foundation of the Christian Church, as is fre- 
quently and distinctly referred to by Paul himself. 

Chap, xviii, verse 24. And a certain Jew named Apol- 
lo*, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in 
the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. 

25. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord ; and 
being fervent in 'the spirit, he spake and taught diligently 
the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John, 



Ill- The Acts of the Apostles. 

If John the Baptist really had recognized Christ, he 
would have preached and adhered to Him and His gospel, 
instead of continuing the preaching of his own doctrines in 
opposition to Christ, during the latter's lifetime, and even 
after His death. He strongly advocated the coming of the 
Messiah, and Paul, as stated before, in order to avail him- 
self of the success of John's preaching, cunningly proclaim- 
ed that Christ was the expected Messiah whose advent John 
had so successfully preached. 

Chap, xix, verse 3. And he said unto them, Unto what 
then were ye baptized f And they said, Unto Jokrts bap- 
tism. 

1. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism 
of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should be- 
lieve on Him which should come after him, that is on Christ 



This suggestion receives additional confirmation from the 
assertion of Luke that John, when lie expected to die, 
stated that he was not the man they supposed him to be, 
but that he had revealed Him that was to follow. Luke 
here seems to forget that Christ had lived at the same time 
with John. 

Chap, xiii, verse 25. And as John fulfilled his course, he 
said, Whom think ye that I am f I am not He. But, behold, 
there cometh one after me, whose shoes of His feet I am not 
worthy to loose. 

There are other proofs which might be adduced to 
show that John did not believe Christ to be this one Mes- 
siah he preached. For example : 

Luke, Chap, v, verse 33. And they said unto him, Why 
do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and 
likewise the disciples of the Pharisees ; but thine eat and 
drink ? 

Luke, Chap, vii, verse 19. And John calling unto him 
two of his disciples, sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he 
that should come f or look we for another f 

If John the Baptist had believed in Christ, and preached 



The Acts of the Apostles. 115 

in His favor, lie would at His appearance have followed 
Him. He would not have suffered his adherents to remain 
a separate sect from Christ. Neither would he have need- 
ed to have inquired concerning Christ's identity. 

Apollos, who was one of John's disciples, does not seem 
to have accepted the explanation of Paul, and subsequently 
to have left his own sect for that of Christ. 

1st Corinthians, Chap, i, verse 12. Now this I say, that 
every one of you saith, 1 am of Paul; and 1 of Apollos ; 
and I of Cephas ; and I <f Christ. 

Later, however, lie deserted the Christians, perhaps on 
account of the incredible fables concerning Christ, which 
they endeavored to impose upon him. It was this, in all 
probability, that led him to ridicule the Christian gospel, 
and his ridicule in turn excited the anger of Paul towards 
him. Titus, Chap, i, verse 3. "Bring Zenas the lawyer, 
and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be 
wanting them. v 

That Paul availed himself of all kinds of tricks to secure 
success, as has been suggested before, is plainly evident 
from Luke's assertion that Paul frequently, in order to 
please the Jews and Greeks, preached only the Gospel of 
God, leaving Christ out of his teachings altogether. 

Chap, xviii, verse 1. And he reasoned in the synagogue 
every soMath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. 

5. And when Silas and Timotheus vjere come from Mace- 
donia, Paul teas pressed in the spirit, and testified to the 
Jews that Jesus was Christ. 

He first introduced the testimony of Christ when Silas- 
and Timothy were present. This conduct gave dissatisfac- 
tion, for on account of it many of Paul's admirers turned 
from and blasphemed him, as is shown in the succeeding 
verse. 

Verse G. And when they opposed themselves and blas- 
phemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your 
blood be tcpon your oion heads ; I am clean : from hence- 
forth 1 will go unto the Gentiles. 



116 The Acts of the Apostles. 

Luke manages in this little history of the doings of some 
of the apostles, to introduce a number of new miracle tales 
concerning Paul. Of course this great apostle could in 
nothing be less than any of the other apostles, and about 
hiin also some wonderful stories gained currency. In 
questioning the credibility of them, we need not consider it 
necessary to deny everything that is reported oi him. We 
can have no doubt that much of what is stated is based on 
facts, but as the course of the narrative embraces a period 
of several years, and the places of action and attendant cir- 
cumstances differ all the time, we eouhl hardly expect a 
reliable report, except from Paul himself. As many of the 
hitter's reports are at variance with those of Luke, we must 
suppose that all the details were gathered by Luke and put 
into an historical form, including all the fables about Paul 
which had gained currency at different periods. 

The miraculous power was so great in Peter's day that 
even his shadow worked wondrous cures; but this was far 
surpassed later on, according to the testimony of Lnke. 
Paul's very garments, down to his handkerchief even, were 
endowed with this supernatural gift, and when Paul was 
absent they took the clothes he left behind and worked 
miraculous cures upon the sick with them. 

Chap, xix, verse 12. So that from his body were brought 
unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the disease de- 
parted from them, and the evil spirits went out of them. 

Besides this there are other personal miracles attributed 
■to Paul, of which we may refer to the one where a false 
prophet, who also worked miracles, had to submit to the 
superior miraculous power of the apostle. 

Chap, xiii, verse 6. And when they had gone down 
.through the isle unto JPaphos. thy found a certain sorcerer, 
a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus. 

Yerse 11. And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon 
thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. 
And immediately there fell on him, a mist and a darkness / 
and he went about seeking some one to lead him by the hand. 



The Acts of the Apostles. LIT 

Among the other allusions to special miraculous acts of 
Paul that are mentioned by Luke are the following: 

Chap, xiv, verse 10. Said with a loud voice, stand up- 
right on thy f vet. And he leaped and walked. 

Chap, xix, verse 11. And God wrote special miracles by 
the hand of Paul. 

The comical character which Luke attributes to different 
ruling spirits, adds still more to the puzzle of his narrative. 

Chap. xix, verse 13. Then certain of the vagabond Jews,, 
exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil 
spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you 
by Jesus whom Paul pveacheth. 

14. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and 
chief of the priests, which did so. 

15. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus 1 knew, 
and Paul I know, but who are yef 

16. And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on 
them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so 
that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 

We observe in the first place that there were people in- 
vested with the miraculous powers of exorcists, and that 
these having met with no success with the evil spirits who 
knew Christ and Paul, they made use of Christ's name as the 
one to conjure with. This profanation of that holy name 
even vexed these evil spirits, so much so that the man whom 
they had in possession leaped upon the exorcists and 
avenged the misuse of Christ's name. We observe from 
this that some evil spirits existed, who were even in favor 
of Christ. 

Another great miracle happened on Paul's account while 
he was imprisoned the third time, without the help of 
any angels this time, but yet attended with astonishing 
results. 

Chap, xvi, verse 26. And suddenly there was a great 
earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were 
shaken : and immediately all the doors were opened, and 
every one's hands were loosed. 



118 The Acts of the Apostles. 

Yersc 28. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do 
thyself 7,0 harm y for we are all here. 

We must l>e surprised that such a great earthquake could 
happen without doing any damage in general, but that its 
only effect was to burst open the doors and loosen the bonds 
of the prisoners, and that the prisoners did not avail them- 
selves of* the opportunity to escape in the general excite- 
ment. However, the supposition must have been that the 
prisoners were inspired by the secret influence of Paul's 
power. The effect of this great miracle was that Paul only 
was released, and that the jailer and his household became 
converts. This is shown to be God's only purpose in send- 
ing the earthquake. 

Chap, xvi, verse 33. And he took them the same hour of 
the night, and washed their stripes / and was baptised, he 
and all his, straightway. 

The greatest miracle of all, however, is that Paul who 
loved so much to boast of and magnify himself, and who 
made such ado about his escape in a basket from the walls 
of Damascus, and is continually boasting of the many stripes 
lie received, and his dangers on the sea and on land, from 
robbers and from heathen ; who had performed so many 
miracles and seen Christ in a vision — the greatest miracle 
is that he did not mention, among the rest of his boastings, 
this miraculous escape of his, which is described by Luke. 

The serious disagreement between Paul and Barnabas, 
who had always been ardent friends and companions, fur- 
nishes additional evidence as to the trutb of what has been 
remarked before in reference to Paul's character. They 
disagreed on account of Mark, their fellow-worker and jun- 
ior, and as Barnabas probably refused to submit to Paul's 
impositions, he went off, and took Mark with him. 

Chap, xv, verse 39. And the contention was so sharp be- 
tween them, that they parted asunder one from the other ; 
and so Barnabas took If ark, and sailed unto Cyprus. 

That Paul, in fact, was odious to many, we may perceive 
from his being especially persecuted, while Silas and Tim 



The Acts of the Apostlks. 119 

othy were permitted to carry on their work unmolested 

Chap, xvii, verse 13. But when the Jews of Thesscdonica 
had know/edge that the word of God was preached of Paul 
at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people. 

14. And tJien immediately the brethren sent aw 'ay Paid ', 
to go as it were to the sea ; but Silas and Timotheus abode 
there still. 

Paul suffered much hardship, we can have no doubt, and 
that he was really stoned, of which he boasts, we may 
believe from Luke's testimony, although the latter could not 
have himself witnessed it. 

Chap, xiv, verse 19. And there came thither certain Jews 
from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and ', 
having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he 
had been dead. 

20. Ilowbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he 
rose up*, and came into the city : and the next day he de- 
ported with Barnabas to Derbe. 

Paid could not have been so very badly injured, as he 
was able to rise shortly afterward, and left the city the iol- 
lowing day. He perhaps, in his artful way, feigned death, 
to induce the crowd to desist from their cruelty to him. 

He also received stripes once, according to Luke, and 
this is all Luke has to say of the terrible sufferings of which 
Paul himself boasts so much. 

Chap, xvi, verse 23. And whan they had laid many 
stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the 
jailor Jo Veep them safely. 

Paul's escape from Damascus Luke does not mention 
at all, which shows that some real facts were altogether un- 
known to him, and proves the unreliability of his reports. 

That the Christian Church was at that time considered 
nothing more than a separate religious sect, depending on 
Jewish doctrines and revelations, and that Paul continued 
in heart to be a Jew, is evident from the close connection 
he kept up with the temple at Jerusalem, and his disputes 
about the circumcision of the converted Gentiles. 



120 The 'Acts of the Apostles. 

Chap. xv ? verse 5. But there rose up certain of the sect of 
che Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to 
circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of 



Mark, who was the assistant of Paul and Barnabas, seems 
to have been a converted Jew who had been brought up at 
Jerusalem, and perhaps he was a son of the same woman 
Mary, who is mentioned by the Evangelist as being fre- 
quently in the company of Christ. 

Chap, xii, verse 12. And when lie had considered the 
thing, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John, 
whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered to- 
gether praying. 

Chap, xii, verse 25. And Barnabas and Saul returned 
from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and 
took xoith them John whose surname was Mark. 

This, perhaps, may have been the time of which Paul 
speaks in Galatians, Chap, ii, verse 1. u Then fourteen 
years after (consequently about eighteen or twenty years 
after Paul's conversion) I went up again to Jerusalem, with 
Barnabas, and took Titus with 'me also." Galatians, Chap, 
ii, verse 9. u And when James, Cephas and John (John the 
Evangelist most probably, as John with the surname of 
Mark must have been too young to form an intimate al- 
liance with them) who seemed to be pillars , perceived the 
grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas 
the right hand of fellowship / that we should go unto the 
heathen and they unto the circumcision.' 97 

Thus far L'ike refers to transactions concerning Paul at 
which he could not have been present, and he first made 
Paul's acquaintance years after, when the apostle visited 
Pome. 

Chap, xix, verse 21. After these things were ended, Paul 
purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Mace- 
donia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying 7 After I have 
been there. I must also see Pome. 

At the 20th Chapter we observe Luke, for the first time. 



The Acts of the Apostles. 121 

uses the word " we," indicating that he was himself present 
and witnessed the occurrences described, and from this 
point there is an obvious difference in the character of his 
narrative. Chap. xx. verse 6. "And we sailed away from 
Philippic after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto 
them to Troasin five days, where we abode seven days." 

Luke does not mention this meeting with Paul as an ex- 
traordinary occurrence, and therefore we may suppose that 
Luke must have been familiar with Paul, and that thisjmust 
have occurred after Paul's second or third visit to Rome. 

Between these two periods in Luke's narrative, consider- 
able time must have elapsed, and we have also to allow 
some time from Luke's conversion up to the time when he 
felt so devotedly attached to the new doctrine, that he made 
a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to see the place where his 
Saviour died. The most interesting part of this whole book 
is that which has reference to this journey to Jerusalem 
with Paul, his reception and persecution there, and finally 
his journey back to Rome again, all of which must have 
occupied considerable time. We may well suppose that 
Luke, being familiar with the art of reading and writing, 
made memoranda of this important [voyage, as he gives 
such minute and distinct descriptions of the circumstances 
attending it. It was a momento of his life which he was 
proud to reveal. That it was the abridgement of a large 
story, is suggested by the length of time covered with so 
few words, Paul's imprisonment alone at this time lasting 
two years. 

Chap, xxiv, verse 27. But after two years Porcius Festus 
came into Felix' room : and Felex, willing to show the Jews 
a pleasure, left Paul bound. 

That Luke did not write the story until some years after, 
is shown in the fact that it is carried on for some time after 
Paul's return to Rome. Chap, xxviii, verse 30. ''And 
Paul dwelt two years in his own hired house, and revealed 
all that came in unto himP From all this we have to make 
our calculations as to the period of Luke's evangelism. 



122 The Acts of the Apostles. 

Luke also furnishes a lively picture of the peculiar way 
ward character of Paul, of which his sophistical philosophy, 
his forwardness in interfering with and dictating to old and 
experienced sailors during the voyage, and his childish ad- 
vice to his fellow-prisoners, are prominent characteristics. 

The interpretation of this part adds scarcely anything to 
the furtherance of our argument, except so far as it goes to 
show the difference between tradition and actuality. Its 
contents, however, are sufficiently interesting to command 
attention, as it gives clear evidence of the spirit and the 
condition of law and order in those times, and furnishes 
some incidents of the life and character of Paul, of which 
we could before form no idea, except to some extent, from 
Paul's own statement. 

In our criticism, we have to take into consideration that 
Luke regarded Paul as one selected by God to his high mis- 
sion, and that all he spoke and did was inspired by a higher 
power, and therefore of the highest authority. One word 
from him had more weight than one hundred from anyone 
else. Observe, for instance, the importance attributed to 
the words of Paul when the young man fell from the 
window 

Chap, xx, verse 9. And there sat in a window a certain 
young man named Eutychus being fallen into a deep sleep : 
and as Paid was long preaching he sunk down with sleep, 
and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. 

19. And Paid went down, and fell upon him, and em- 
bracing him said, Trouble not yourselves • for his life is in 
him. 

Chap, xx, verse 12. And they brought the young man 
alive, and were not a little comforted. 

The narration of Paul's persecution and great suffering 
which follows, is of little importance. His name and proceed- 
ings were well known in Jerusalem, and he was most seri- 
ously hated there, on account of his hypocritical conduct 
towards the Jews. His friends, being aware of this, cau- 
tioned him not to go there; but Paul was desirous to 



The Acts of the Apostles. 123 

appear brave, and to show his reliance on Jesus Christ, so 
lie refused to be persuaded. 

Chap, xix, verse 4. And finding disciples, we tarried 
there seven days : who said to Paid through the Spirit, that 
he should not go up to Jerusalem. 

Chap, xxi, verse 14. And when he would not he persuaded, 
we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord he done. 

It is here again to be observed that Luke cannot leave 
the Spirit alone, but must attribute Paul's proceedings to 
the inspiration and suggestions of God. The intense feel- 
ing of opposition toward Paul must have been very general, 
and his maltreatment at Jerusalem must have been antici- 
pated. Chap, xxi, verse 10. " And as we tarried there 
many days there came down from Judea a certain prophet 
named Agabus, and vmen he was come in to its, he took 
PauVs girdle and hound his own hands and feet, and said : 
Thus said the Holy Ghost, so shall the Jews at Jerusalem 
hind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him 
into the hands of the Gentiles" 

That Paul really had given cause for such hatred by his 
hypocritical conduct of preaching to the Jews the doctrine 
of Jesus Christ, at the same time holding to the old Jewish 
doctrine himself, is evident from the attempt of his fellow- 
apostles to refute the rumors in circulation about him to this 
effect. 

Chap, xxi, verse 21. And they are informed of thee, that 
thou teaches ail the Jews which are among the Gentiles to 
for sale e Moses, saying they ought not to circumcise their 
children neither to walk after the customs. 

21. What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come 
together : for they will hear that thou art come. 

Chap, xxi, verse 26. Then Paul took the men, and the 
next day purifying himself with them entered into the 
temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purifi- 
cation, until that an offering should he offered for every one 
of them. 

We have also additional and striking proof that the 



124 The Acts of thk Apostles. 

Christians at that time only formed a special Jewish sect, 
who adhered pretty much to their own old laws and cus- 
toms, and being allowed to attend the temple to make their 
offerings and prayers. Paul, himself, secretly adhered to 
these old Jewish doctrines at the time that he was attempt- 
ing to impose new laws and doctrines upon others. This 
was the principal cause of contempt and aversion that was 
shown to him. The feeling against him was so strong that 
the Jews not only threw him out of the temple, but tried to 
kill him. 

Chap, xxi, verse 30. And all the city was moved, and the 
people ran together ; and they took Paul, and drew him out 
of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut. 

31. And as they went about to Mil him, tidings came un- 
to the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in 
uproar. 

Here will he noticed the capricious and fanatical charac- 
ter of the Jew T s in those days that they should create such a 
tremendous uproar on account of such an insignificant 
matter as this difference of opinion upon a matter of relig- 
ious belief. 

Chap, xxi, verse 38. Then the chief captain came near, 
and took him and commanded him 'o be bound with two 
chains / and demanded who he was, and what he had done. 

34. And some cried one t'<ing and some another, among 
themxdtitude : and when he could not know the certainty for 
the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the c i.stle. 

35. Aud when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he 
was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people: 

So striking and clear is this portion of the report, that 
there can be no doubt the occurrences described, really 
happened. The proceedings which resulted in the execution 
of Jesus Christ were somewhat similar. 

Chap, xxi, verse 36. For the multitude of the people 
followed after, crying, Away with him. 

Paul's imprisonment was fortunate for himself, as incon- 
sequence, he escaped the fury of the Jews: 



The Acts of the Apostles. 125 

In his defence, he again cunningly avails himself of the 
difference of opinion which existed in regard to various 
doctrines, and created a partiality in his favor. 

5. But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sad- 
ducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, 
Men and brethren, 1 am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: 
of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in 
question. 

7. -And when he had so said, there arose a dissension be- 
tween Pharisees and the Sadducees : and the multitude was 
divided. 

8. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, 
neither angel or spirit / but the Pharisees confess both. 

This trick of Paul's although abnegating his mission, 
proved successful. 

Chap, xxiii, verse 9. And there arose, a great cry : and 
the Scribes that were of the Pharisees' 1 part arose, and 
strove, Saying, We find no evil in this man • but if a spirit 
or cm angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God. . 

This quarrel made an end of the trial, and the chief cap- 
tain took Paul away for fear of his safety. 

(Jhap. xxiii, verse 10. And when there arose a great dis- 
sension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paid should ha%e 
been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go 
down and take him by force from among them, and to 
bring him into the castle. 

Paul's adversaries would not rest, however, but made 
strong endeavors to be revenged upon him. 

Chap, xxiii, verse 12. And when it was day, certain of 
the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a 
curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till 
they had killed Paul. 

13. And they were more than forty which had made this 
conspiracy. 

Here again Luke has to attribute the result to the special 
interference of God. 

Chap, xxiii, verse 11. And the night following, the Lord 



I 

Oil 



126 The Acts of the Apostles. 

stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul : for as thou 
hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness 
also at Home. 

We can hardly criticize the account of what happened to 
Paul while he was in prison alone, but the expression of 
Luke that God stood by Paul must, be understood as figura- 
tive, for God could not very well come down from heavei 
personally to converse with Paul. The whole conversat 
is altogether imaginary. Paul may have expressed himself 
in this way, it being a common phrase unto this day. but 
Luke states it as an actual fact. 

The conversion of Paui, which is but slightly referred to 
by himself, is here elaborately related, and it is singular 
that the two reports of the same occurrence show such 
variance. 

Chap, xxi, verse 7. And I fell unto the ground, and heard a 
voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? 

8, And I answered, Who art Thou, Lord? And He said 
unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest. 

Chap, xxiv, verse 13. At mid day, O king, I saw in the way 
a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining 
round about me and them which journeyed with me. 

14. And lohen toe were all fallen to the earth, I heard a 
voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, 
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me f It is hard for thee to 
kick against the pricks. 

15. And I said, Who art Thou Lord? And He said I 
am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. 

16. But rise, and stand upon thy feet : for I have appeared 
unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a wit- 
ness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those 
things in the ichich I will appear unto thee ; 

17. Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, 
unto whom now I send thee, 

18. To open their eyes, and to turn them front darkness to 
light, and from the power of Satan unto God that they may 
receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which 
are sanctified by faith that is in me. 



The Acts of the Apostles. 127 

We could hardly have expected Christ, if He really had 
been a divine being, and really had spoken to Paul from 
above, to have given such a thorough explanation of what 
He had selected Paul for, and what He expected of him to 
do. Neither could such a long conversation have taken 
place without his followers having heard something of it. 
It is remarkable, too, that Paul, in his own account of it, 
seems to have remembered so little of this divine conversa- 
tion given by Luke. A comparison of the two accounts sug- 
gests that the whole story of his miraculous conversion was 
fabricated by Paul to make out his claim to the high mission 
he wished to represent. He perhaps never quite made up 
his mind what the Lord said to him, and related it variously, 
at various times, as he thought it best suited the occasion. 
Before Agrippa he seems to have made a pretty long story 
of it, perhaps to make himself more important, 

Paul was careful to allude to no testimony that might 
be corroborative of the occurrence. "We have only his own 
statement to depend on, and now that we have thoroughly in- 
formed ourselves as to his character, we can attach very little 
credit to whatever he says that is not otherwise supported. 

After several examinations and two years of imprison- 
ment, Paul went to Rome to appear before Caesar, to whom 
he had made appeal. Chap, xxiv, verse 27. "But after 
tico years Portias FesLus came into Felix s room, and Felix, 
v: idling to show the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound" 

Chap, xx vi, verse 32. Then said Agrippa unto Festus, 
This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not ap- 
pealed unto Caesar. 

Chap, xxvii, verse 1. And when it was determined that 
we shoidd sail into Italy, they delivered Paid and certain 
other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Au- 
gustus'* band. 

Before we enter into the details of this famous voyage, 
we have first to direct our attention to the dangers and dif- 
Acuities of such a journey, and the significance attached to 
it in those days. The distance from Adramvthium on the 



128 The Acts of the Apostles. 

coast of Judea to the place of debarkation in Italy is not more 
than about 800 miles. The distance, in fact, is very short, 
and the vessel took its course from port to port in order not 
to lose its way. Compasses at that time were little known, 
so that this plan of journeying was necessary. Chap, xxviii, 
verse 13. u And from thence we fetched a compass and came 
to RliegiumP It was even considered necessary to lay 
over during the winter months. 

Chap, xxvii, verse 12. And btcause the haven was not 
commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart 
thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, 
and there to winter ; which is an haven of Crete, andlieth 
toward the south west and north-west. 

The vessels being of so inferior'a character to those built 
nowadays, great caution was necessary, and the progress 
made was slow. Chap, xviii, verse 27. " But when the 
fourteenth day was come, as we were driven up and, down 
in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they 
drew near some country" 

In comparing this with our present mode of travelling at 
sea, it seems to be almost ridiculous. But we can have no 
doubt, taking everything into consideration, that such a 
voyage was in those days a risky undertaking, and attended 
with some amount of hardship. 

Paul, not being familiar with the sea, became excited by 
the dangers, real and imaginary, that compassed them on 
every side. It may have occurred to him, that the sailors 
were either ignorant or neglectful of their duty, and he con- 
cludes to communicate his opinion to the centurion. 

Chap, xxvii, verse 9. Now when much time was spent, 
and when mailing was now dangerous, because the fast was 
now already past, Paul admonished them, 

10. And said unto them, /Sirs, I perceive that this voyage 
will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading 
and ship, but also of our lives. 

The centurion, however, had probably more courage and 
rational views. He had more confidence in the master of 



The Acts of the Apostles. 129 

the vessel than in Paul, and took no pains to conceal it. 
This hurt Paul's vanity. 

Chap, xxvii, verse 11. Nevertheless the centurion believed 
the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things 
which were spoken by Paul. 

In consequence of extreme anxiety, in connection with 
the burden of his mission, Paul was fervent in prayer and 
fasting, and had peculiar visions and dreams — not an unnat- 
ural consequence. 

Chap, xxvii, verse 23. For there stood by me this night the 
angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve. 

Paul imagined great danger on account of the prevailing 
storm, and, while reproaching the people for not following 
his advice, represents himself as their saviour. 

Chap, xxvii, verse 20. And when neither sun nor stars in 
many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all 
hope that we should be saved was then taken away. 

21. *H But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the 
midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened un- 
to me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained 
this harm and loss. 

22. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer : for there 
shall be no loss of any mail's life among you, but of the 
ship. 

Now if it was a prophecy of Paul when he cautioned him 
not to loosen from Crete, of what good was his prophecy 
since the storm passed over without injury to any one. If 
his prophecy was made on behalf of the owner's of the ship 
or the merchandise it carried, of what use was it for an 
angel to visit Paul in order to tell him no life should be lost. 
Chap, xxvii, verse 25. " Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer,, 
for 1 believe God that it shall be even as it was told meP 

In spite of his divine assurance Paul is evidently afraid of 
the danger. He watches the conduct of the sailors narrowly 
and suspects them of a design to leave the ship and its 
passengers to its fate. 

Chap, xxvii, verse 28. And sounded, and found it twenty 



130 The Acts of the Apostles. 

fathoms: and when they had gone a little farther, they 
sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms. 

29, Then fearing lest we should, ham fallen upon rocks, 
they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the 
day* 

30. And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, 
when they had let down the boat into the sea, under color as 
though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship . 

He communicates his suspicion to the centurion, and 
says that if the sailors leave they cannot be saved. He 
must have forgotten or have placed very little confidence, 
in the promise of the angel. 

Chap, xxvii, verse 31. Paid said, to the centurion and to 
the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be 
saved. 

The centurion had no confidence in Paul's words even 
yet, and he let the sailors go their way. 

Chap, xxvii, verse 32. Then the soldiers cut off the ropes 
of the boat, and let her fall off. 

And really Paul's prophecy was mere empty babble, for 
nothing serious happened after all. The sailors in all proba- 
bility returned, for it is hardly to be expected that a mis- 
cellaneous collection of passengers would have worked the 
ship. 

Chap, xxvii, verse 40. And when they had, taken up the 
anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed 
the rudder bands, and hoisted vp the mainsail to the wind, 
and made toward shore. 

Paul, as we mentioned before, was full of suspicion with 
regard to the conduct of the sailors ; but he appears to have 
been mindful of his own safety only. When they struck on 
the sands he had an idea that all the prisoners were about 
to be killed, but as this was not done he states that they 
were saved because the centurion desired to save him. 
This shows his earnestness in attaching to himself the credit 
of everything that was done. Chap, xxvii, verse 42. 
s And the soldier's counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any 



The Acts of the Apostles, 131 

of them should svnm out and escape ; but the centurion, 
willing to save Paul, kept tltem from their purpose, and 
commanded thai they which could swim should cast them- 
selves first into the sea and get to land." 

Luke's preference for stating everything in an exagger- 
ated way is plainly obvious when he speaks of the barbari- 
ans they met with on the little island. We can hardly sup- 
pose that any barbarians existed at such a place, near and 
surrounded by civilized nations. And indeed in Luke's 
own description of them, they show very little of the bar- 
barian; on the contrary their conduct is marked with great 
kindness and politeness. 

Chap, xxviii, verse 2. And the barbarous people showed 
us no little kindness / for they kindled a fire, and received 
us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the 
cold. 

Then Luke must give an example of how Paul's extraor- 
dinary power astonished the natives, and the incident of 
the serpent clinging to Paul offers an excellent opportunity. 

Chap, xxviii, verse 3. And when Paul had gathered a 
bundle of sticks, <md laid them on the fire, there came a viper 
out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. 

Probabty this serpent had been thrown into the fire with 
the sticks, and trying to escape had been noticed by Paul 
and thrown back again. This is the incident. But then Luke 
relates what the barbarians said among themselves and even 
what changed their mind3 and said he was a god. 

Chap, xxviii, verse 4. And when the barbarians saw the 
venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among them- 
selves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he 
hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. 

6. Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or 
fallen down dead suddenly : but after they had looked a 
great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed' 
their minds and said he was a god" 

This story is written in such a plain and sensible style 
that we should be inclined to believe it, had we not already 



132 The Acts of the Apostles 

met with so many instances of Luke's wonderful inventive- 
ness, 'hat the people may have considered Paul to be a 
prop»-<st, or a wonderful man is not strange. The respectful 
conduct of his fellow prisoners toward him, might indicate 
thatto them he was a superior being. 

In regard te the healing of the sick, we may welf suggest 
that the people expecting that this strange man had wonder- 
ful powers, and with his prayers could work miracles, brought 
out their sick to him ; but that he cured any of them is to be 
doubted. And especially is this so in regard to the case of 
the father of the Publican, whose sickness was periodical. 

Chap, xxviii, verse 8. And it came to pass , that the father 
of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux : to 
whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on 
htm, and healed him,. 

9. So when this was done, others also, which had diseases 
in the island, came, and were healed. 

We cannot wonder that the sick people came to this 
strange man, because afflicted people, and especially those 
of the lower and ignorant classes, are inclined to follow any 
advice, or to try any remedy which is suggested to them. 
And superstitious people will attribute all sorts of things to 
supernatural influence, as is sufficiently illustrated at various 
times in the Scriptures in regard to what is called false 
prophets. 

At the same time we must suppose that in this small 
island there was not much medical aid to be had, and we 
may easily believe the readiness with which the afflicted 
would gather round the man, who was accredited with such 
wonderful powers of healing as Paul. The statement that 
they were cured is easily written, though difficult to prove. 
In general people who obtain cures, are very ready to speak 
of it; those who are not cured have a natural repugnance to 
admit that they have been humbugged. Therefore we hear 
nothing of those who came to Paul and were not relieved 
from their affliction. 

There are, even at the present, many who believe in 



The Acts of the Apostles. 133 

sympathetic cures. It is a purely imaginary mode of 
treatment, but has in many instances proved beneficial. Still 
no considerate or reasoning being would resort to such 
htimbuggery. 

In this last section of Luke, where he records the events 
of which he was an eye-witness, there are no stories of super- 
natural incidents, and this, taking into consideration the rest 
of the book, is a remarkable ftyct. There are Paul's several 
trials, his imprisonment, his sea voyage, all recorded, and not 
a single case of divine interference is referred to except 
imaginary. Neither is there any explanation why such things 
did not happen, or any reference made by Luke to those 
which he alleges happened before in similar cases, but of 
which he was no eye-witness himself. In fact, in the rela- 
tion of the author's own experience no miracles appear. 



THE GOSPEL OF LUKE. 



In order to keep alive in our mind the impressions we 
have already formed of Luke r and to facilitate our judgment 
of his evangelism, we continue with this, leaving John's 
evangelism for a later occasion. 

In our investigation of the Acts, we observed remarkable 
changes in his views, which distinctly indicated various 
periods; the more distant the occurrences which he is des- 
cribing, the more fabulous being the story. If we proved 
that the first part of his Acts, which has particular reference 
to these distant occurrences, is doubtfully true, we should be 
justified in using a stronger term in reference to his evangel- 
ism, which relates to far more distant times and occurren- 
ces. It seems, in fact, to be entirely made up of fictitious 
stories and fables. 

In order to justify this declaration, and to prove that 
Luke's evangelism is far the larger part made up of such 
current fables r interwoven by his own imagination, we have 
to adopt a non-partisan position, and in our researches, 
justify our own conscience, with the saying of Scripture — 
" to the pure all things are pure." 

From the Acts we have satisfactory proof that this 
evangelism was written by the same man, and most prob- 
ably only a short time before. 

Acts i, verse 1. The former treatise have 1 made, O The- 
ophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 

2. Until the day in which He was taken up. 

He commences by informing his friend Theophilus, in 



The Gospel of Luke. 135 

regard to the gospel, that already many have undertaken to 
put forth and in regular order a declaration of the faith ; 
or, in other words, to make a little history of all the}' had 
heard about Christ. 

Luke, Chap, i, verse 1. Forasmuch as many have taken 
in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things 
which are most surely believed among us. 

His information, he states, he had from eve- witnesses and 
ministers of the word, therefore everything recorded by him 
was to be accepted as reliable. Later, however, it will be 
proved from what dubious sources he received this informa- 
tion. 

Chap, i, verse 2. Even as they delivered them unto us, 
which from the beginning were eye-witnesses, and ministers 
of the word. 

Having now a thorough understanding of these things, 
Luke wished to state it in writing, so that the record of it 
should not be lost. 

Chap, i, verse 3. It seemed good to me also, having had 
perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to 
write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus. 

The first thing he states is a wonderful story about 
Zacharias and Elizabeth his wife, and the birth of John the 
Baptist ; who the witnesses were of this alleged occurrence 
can hardly be explained. The only one who could possibly 
have told this to Luke was Mary, the mother of Christ, 
because she was the only one who had come into contact 
with them. She, however, could not testify to that which 
occurred to Zacharias when he was alone. 

Chap, i, verse 11. And there appeared unto him an angel 
of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of 
incense. 

12. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and 
fear fell upon him. 

13. But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias : 
for thy prayer is heard: and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear 

thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 



136 The Gospel of Luke. 

Neither could Luke have received this elaborate com- 
munication from Zacharias himself, as both he and his wife 
were already stricken in years when this occurrence is 
alleged lo have happened. 

Chap, i, verse 7. And they had no child, because that 
Elizabeth was barren / and they both were now well stricken 
in years. 

Whether Luke ever met the mother of Christ, even is 
doubtful. When He was at Jerusalem He met some of the 
prominent members of the Church, but hs he does not refer 
to the mother of Christ, and he certainly would have done had 
he met with her. This, too, was at least sixty or seventy 
years after the events which he narrates, and Mary was in 
all probability dead. As to Joseph the husband of Mary, 
he does not seem to have received much consideration. 

Assuming, for the moment, that Luke did have reliable 
communication with people then living, who had in some 
way witnessed these occurrences, why does he pad out his 
book with so much questionable matter about what the 
angels said, and what the people thought, and soon. 

In close connection with the story of Zacharias and his 
wife, is related what happened to Mary six months later, 
and which rather suggests Luke's intimacy witli an omni- 

CIO •' 

present spirit. Chap. i. verse 26. "And in the sixth month 
the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee 
named Nazareth? 

Chap, i, verse 28. And the angel came in unto her, and 
said, Hail ! thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with 
thee : blessed art thou among women ! 

The natural suggestion here is that Zacharias must either 
have told his long story to Mary, or she must have related 
to him what happened to her. However, neither of them 
seem to have made a memorandum of the occurrences, but 
it is alleged that Mary kept all these matters in her mind. 

Chap, ii, verse 19. But Mary kept all these things, and 
pondered them in her heart. 

Notwithstanding that it is conceded the whole was re- 



The Gospel of Luke. 137 

iated from memory, it is given in as direct a manner as 
testimony before a judge. The whole story is so unrecor. 
cilable with any natural occurrences, that we must suggest 
that the whole plot originated in the imaginative brain of 
Luke. He may possibly have been influenced in the matter 
by Paul, who had endeavored to convince the followers of 
John the Baptist that their master was the forerunner of 
Christ, and the story was set afloat that he had been born 
by the Lord's will for this very purpose. Paul was cunning 
enough to suggest this, and Luke simple enough to believe 
and to record it as fact. 

According to the vague prophesies of the old Scripture, 
Bethlehem, the birthplace of David was considered sacred, 
and from there a great ruler was expected to arise. 

Mi cah, Chap, v, verse 2. But thou, Bethlehem Fph'ratah, 
though thou he little among the thousands of Judah, yet out 
of thee shall He come forth unto me that is to he ruler in 
Israel; whose goings forth have heen from of old, from 
everlasting. 

The prophecy refers to a great ruler in Israel only, and 
could not well apply to Christ, who was never a ruler in 
Israel, and who the Jews never recognized as such. The 
prophesied Messiah was to be a descendant of the line of 
David, and to be born in the city of David. It was neces- 
sary that Christ, in order to confirm His identity with the 
prophecies, should have been born in Bethlehem. 

Chap, ii, verse 4. And Joseph also went up from Galilee. 
out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of 
David, which is called Bethlehem, (because he was of the 
house and lineage of David.) 

This was not known at that time, however, or even later* 
because both Christ and many of His early followers were 
known psXazarenes. 

Chap, xxiv, verse 5. For we have found this man a pesti- 
lent fe 7 low, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews 
throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the 
Sozarenes. 



13S The Gospel of Luke. 

Kit had been known from the beginning that Christ had 
b. en born in Bethlehem, which was of course of great im- 
portance to Himself and'those claiming for Him that He was 
the Messiah, they would have taken care to have been known 
as Bethlehemites. 

If, in regard to the birth of Christ we admit the possibil- 
ity of His being born under the peculiar circumstances Luke 
describes, and that all of this was so gloriously preluded, 
how was it that it all happened in such a quiet inostentatious 
way? The only remarkable incident in connection with 
this wonderful birth which Luke records is, that shepherds 
had seen some angels, one of whom had told them of the 
birth of Christ. Nothing extraordinary happened to the 
descendants of David, to the people of Bethlehem, or to 
Joseph and Mary. Only these shepherds were informed. 

Did Luke obtain the story from these shepherds? If so, 
we would suggest that shepherds are not persons of such 
great mental ability that the whole world should unreserved- 
ly believe them. Their very occupation betokens inferior 
mental abilities. They generally occupy tiie long watches 
in telling ridiculous stories, and in this case, perhaps, while 
they were so engaged they observed some unusual stir in an 
adjacent cottage. Curious to know what w r as going on they 
drew near, and soon found out the cause of the little com- 
motion. In order to obtain a sight of the little baby they 
told a story of angels which they had seen. There is really 
nothing extraordinary in all this. The circumstances attend- 
ing the birth of Christ appear to be very little known, but 
in what there is recorded of them there is certainly nothing 
to lead one to believe it was aught but the birth of a very 
ordinary mortal. 

At the sacred ceremony of circumcision, nothing of a su- 
pernatural character is alleged to have taken place, but at 
the presentation to the Lord some insignificant incidents to 
which great importance are attached, are said to have hap- 
pened. 

At the time when Joseph and Mary, with the babe, were 



The Gospel of Like. 139 

in the temple, an old devout man named Simeon was pre- 
sent. To reward this man for his good conduct, the Holy 
Ghost promised him that he should not see death before he 
had seen the Messiah. This Holy Spirit had guided him to 
the temple to see the babe. 

The partial proceeding of this Holy Ghost is rather sur- 
prising. Why was one man only selected to be benefitted 
by this announcement in which the whole earth was direct- 
ly interested '{ But this Holy Ghost did not care much 
about the people in general; he merely wished to introduce 
Jesus Christ to this good old man. It must appear curious, 
however, how Simeon came to recognize this baby, as 
nothing is mentioned to show that it was in any way more 
remarkable than ordinary babies. 

From Luke's point of view, all these singular happenings 
are recognized tacts; they took place as a matter of course ; 
and the explanation as to the how and wherefore is deemed 
unnecessary. A considerable portion of our present gener- 
ation, however, are not apt to accept such statements with- 
out at least a show of reason and of reasonable proof. 

This man Simeon may have been a maniac, or a fanatic, 
and that he noticed the child, was remembered in after 
years, and great importance attached to it. That Joseph 
and Mary expected no such honors to be paid to the babe is 
shown in Chap, ii, verse 33. " And, Joseph and his mother 
marvelled at those things which were spoken of HimP 
Htw could they marvel at those few incomprehensible 
words of the old man, after all they had been led to expect 
concerning the child ? After the announcements made in 
regard to its divine origin, was there anything left to marvel 
at? In accordance with these announcements did they not 
expect the child would have met with a very different re- 
ception ? These are points upon which Luke neglects to 
inform us. He gives us instead a minute description of an 
old lady who was present — stating how old she was, how 
long she had been a widow, what she was, where she came 
from, and other details in regard to her. She follows the 



140 The Gospel of Luke. 

example of the old dotard named Simeon, and thanks God 
for His mercy in allowing her to see the child. This consti- 
tutes Luke's important testimony as to the manner in which 
the long expected Messiah was received by the people. It 
was written in a distant country sixty years after it occurred. 
How did Luke come into contact with the eye-witnesses of 
the occurrence ; and who were they ? To the whole story 
he advice of Paul may well be applied. I Timothy, Chap, 
xiv, verse 7. "But refuse profuse and old wives' 
fables:' 

This seems to be all Luke knows about the birth of Christ, 
and this, as we have shown, is of a very insignificant and 
dubious character. 

The occurrence of Christ's visit to Jerusalem eeems to 
have been inserted as an incident of His childhood to show 
promise of His future greatness. But the story is arkwardly 
put. How is it possible that a mother in charge of such a 
promising boy should start out on a long journey from a 
strange city, without first assuring herself of her child's 
safety ? He was not found missing until after one day's 
journey ; his mother never thought of Him for a whole day. 
Chap, ii, verse 44. "But they, supposing Him to have been 
in the company, went a day's journey, and they sought Him 
among their kinsfolk and acquaintance." 

According to this Mary was a most careless mother, and 
unfit for the »>Teat charge committed to her. The utterances 
of the boy, upon wdiich Luke lays so much stress, are nothing 
very extraordinary when investigated. The boy, being 
left by His parents, would naturally repair to the temple, as 
the place was familiar to Him, and he could reasonably ex- 
pect to meet there some friend of the family. 

Chap, ii, verse 49. "And He said unto them, How is it 
that ye sought Me? wist ye not that I must be about My 
Father's business." Such strong belief may be fuund in 
many children of twelve, and the little story whether true 
or fictitious, possesses little significance. But all tin's Luke 
professes to relate from the memory of the mother whom, it 



The Gospel of Luke. 141 

is next to impossible, that he could have met with himself m 
Chap, ii, verse 51. " And he went doivn with them and 
Game to Nazareth, and was subject unto them. And His 
mother kept all these sayings in her heart" 

The actions of John the Baptist are referred to but slightly. 
A. few incidents only, clumsily dragged into the story, are 
given to show his connection with the coming of Christ. 
What John preached is minutely reported, but of his career 
up to this time nothing is said, and very probably nothing was 
known. The proceedings and teachings atributed to him, it 
must be observed, are strictly copied from the old Scripture. 

Chap, ii, verse 2. The word of God came unto John the 
son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 

3. And he came into all the country about Jordan , 
preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of 
sins ; 

4. As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias 
the prophet, (Isaiah, Chap, xl, verse 3,) saying, The voice of 
one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the 
Lord, make His path straight. 

5. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and 
hill shall be brought low / and the crooked shall be made 
straight, and the rough ways be made smooth. 

This prophecy seems to agree in a remarkable manner 
with the preaching of John. But we have first to make 
sure that this really was preached by him, and not attribut- 
ed to him by the author of the book, who might have 
considered that such, in all probability, would be his preach- 
ing. 

LH we read the previous verses, from Isaiah, we observe 
that the words quoted have quite a different meaning from 
that alleged to have been the meaning of John. Isaiah uses 
the two terms God and the Lord, evidently referring to one 
God only ; while John refers with the same words to two 
persons of the God-head. Isaiah, too, prophesied the com- 
ing of a Messiah ; but, this in itself, is not proof that Jesus 
was that Messiah. John, no doubt, preached some new 



142 The Gospel of Luke. 

doctrines, or lie would not have commanded so large a fol- 
lowing; but it is scarcely to be expected that we can form 
any idea of these doctrines from the few sentences here 
given, because they are given only to prove one object — 
namely that he preached the coming of Christ. Chap, iii, 
verse 15. " And as the people were in expectation, and all 
men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the 
Christ or not. 16. John answered, saying unto them all, 
I, indeed, baptize yoio with water, but one mightier than I 
cometh, the lachet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: 
He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire 
17. Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly 
purge His floor, and will gather the wheat into His garner, 
but the chaff He will burn with fire unquenchable" 

The statement of this theory is Luke's special object ; the 
rest he passes over hurriedly. Chap, iii, verse 18. " And 
many other things in His exhortations preached He unto the 
peopled Even the holy act of baptizing Jesus is given 
very briefly. 

Chap, iii, verse 21. \ Now when all the people were bap- 
tized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and 
praying, the heaven was opened, 

22, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like 
a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven, which 
said, Thou art My beloved Son • in Thee I am well pleased. 

This occurrence probably seemed to him of inferior 
importance to the teachings which he attributes to John in 
support of the Jesus' Claimes — to be the long expected 
Messiah. But we have other evidence than Luke's words 
in regard to this. We have the evidence of John's con- 
duct. He did not believe in Jesus as the Messiah, or he 
would not have continued to preach his own doctrine — the 
doctrine of the old Scriptures, that the Messiah was yet to 
come. 

The pedigree of Christ seems to be a wonderful invention 
on the part of Luke. To make his history complete, and to 
prove that Christ really was descended of David, he goes 



The Gospel of Luke. 143 

into his genealogy and produces a full list of his ancestry. 
There was great discussion on this point at the time., and 
Paul, seeing the difficulties by which it was surrounded, 
cautioned the apostles not to discuss it in any way. 

One of the insurmountable difficulties is found at the 
very start of this genealogy. Luke traces Joseph down to 
David, with some difficulty, but Joseph, according to his 
own statement, is not the father of Christ. 

Chap, i, verse 34. Then said Mary unto the angel, How 
shall this be, seeing I know no t a man f 

The angel who predicted to Mary that she was to brino- 
forth the Christ, was deceived in the same way, as he also, 
it appears, believed that the Messiah was to descend from 
David. 

32. He shall he great, and shall be called the Son of the 
Highest : and the Lord shall give unto Him the throne of 
His Father David : 

One of these two theories only can be the correct one, 
either that Christ was the son of Joseph, who might be 
descended from David, or that Joseph, as the Bible says, 
was not his father; but the whole story was only made up 
to deceive the Jews. 

On examining this alleged pedigree of Christ, a small 
part of it can be traced to its old Scripture origin, but the 
rest is fictitious. This is shown by the wide difference in 
the names selected by Luke and Matthew. Even in regard 
to the father of Joseph, to go no further, they are at vari- 
ance. The difference of opinion upon this point which the 
following comparative list shows, together with the warn- 
ings of Paul not to place trust in genealogies, may be 
considered satisfactory evidence, that no reliance is to be 
placed on either of these statements : 



144 




iHE (jtOSI 


>KL OF LV 


KE. 




Luke. 


Luke. 


Matthew. 


Luke. 


Matthew. 


Luke. 


Adam 


Abraham 


Abraham 


Joseph I. 


Ozias 


Semey 


Seth 


Isaac 


Isaac 


Juda I. 


Joatham 


Mathathias I 


Enas 


Jacob 


Jacob 


Simeon 


Achaz 


Maath 


Cainan I. 


Judas 


Judas 


Levi I. 


Ezekiar 


Nagge 


Maluleel 


Phares 


Phares 


Mathat I. 


Mannasses 


Esle 


Tared 


Esrom 


Esrom 


Jorim 


Amon 


Naum 


Enoch 


Aram 


Aram 


Eliezer 


Josias 


Amos 


Methusala 


Aninadab 


Aninadab 


JOSE 


Jechonias 


MathathiasII 


Lamech 


Naason 


Naason 


Er 


Salathiel 


Joseph W. 


Noe 


Salmon 


Salmon 


Elmodam 


Zorobable 


Janna 


Sem 


Booz 


Booz 


Cosam 


Abind 


Malchi 


Arphaxad 


Obed 


Obed 


Addi 


Eliakim 


Levi II. 


Cainan IT. 


Jesse 


Jesse 


Melchi 


Azor 


Mathat II. 


Sala 


DAVID 


David 


Neri 


Sadoc 


Heli 


Heber 


Nathan 


Solomon 


Salathiel 


Achim 


Joseph IV. 


Phalech 


Mathathad Roboam 


Zorobable 


Eliud 


Jesus Christ 


Ragan 


Menau 


Abia 


Rhesa 


Eleazer 




Saruch 


Melea 


Asa 


Joanna 


Math an 




Nachur 


Eliakim 


Josaphat 


Juda IT. 


Jacob 




Thara 


Jonan 


Joram 


Joseph II. 


Joseph 












Jesus Christ 



There are some names herein which appear to correspond, 
but we mast remember, that this could not well be other- 
wise, as they were both obtained from the same source. It 
simply shows that a lineage was concocted from the old 
Scriptures,by both these writers, and that each fitted it on 
to Christ in his own way. 

The next point to be considered is Luke's account of the 
temptation of Christ. Christ is described as having been led 
by a spirit into the wilderness, and to have remained there 



The Gospel of Luke. 145 

without food for forty days, during which time He is sorely 
tempted by the devil. If Christ had been sufficiently 
human up to this time to need food for His subsistence He 
could not very well have lived forty days without it* If He 
was miraculously sustained without food during those forty 
days, why was He not so sustained during the days or some 
of the days that He lived among men, so that the miracle 
might have been witnessed and have testified to His divine 
origin \ Other miracles are said to have been specially per- 
formed for this purpose, and what purpose did this one serve, 
therefore, seeing that no man witnessed it? 

The devil takes Him up into a high mountain, and shows 
Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment's time. 
Where is this mountain, from which the whole round world, 
and all its cities, can be viewed ? From what mountain 
summit could Christ view the antipodes ? Even as a figure 
of speech it is an absurdity. There is only one thing that 
saves Luke from unmitigated contempt for writing such 
nonsense, and it is the fact that in the mind of this in- 
spired writer the world was flat, and extended but a tew 
hundred miles beyond the places he was acquainted with.. 
We might endeavor to trace this imaginary episode to its- 
source in Luke's mind, but to attempt to account for these 
impossibilities, would only be futile, and would lay our- 
efforts open to severe criticism ; for of what use is it striving 
to comprehend the known incomprehensible \ 

Was the temptation necessary to test Christ's faithfulness , 
to Himself? 

We might ask in what form the devil appeared, and how 
the story became known, unless Christ told it. If He really 
was the Son of God, He need not, we suggest, have told such 
absurd anecdotes to mystify the people and bolster up His 
claims to such distinction. From all we know, of Christ 
through Peter, James and Jude, which we may accept as 
reliable sources of information, we cannot deny to Him the 
most sincere respect. and reverence, we can have no doubt 
that His character and intentions were as pure, and . sincere 



146 Thk Gospel of Luke. 

as those of any man, and that none of these suggestions and 
stories, related evidently with an intention to deceive or mis- 
lead, can be ascribed to Him. So noble a mind could not 
have descended to such mean and paltry tricks, or adopted 
such miserable tactics to gratify a personal vanity. 

This critic may suggest to the reader that we intend to 
reject all of what Luke says in his evangelism. It would 
perhaps be easier to denounce the whole in bulk as being 
contrary to all laws of nature and to common sense, but it is 
our duty to sift out what little there appears to be of truth. 

The old Scriptures, as we before observed, were thorough- 
ly studied, and everything that was found therein which 
could by any possible means be interpreted as referring to 
Christ was quoted in His support* 

Chap, iv, verse 17. And there was delivered unto him the 
book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the 
book, he found the place where it was written, 

18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath 
anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor / He hath sent 
Me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the 
captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty 
them that are bruised. 

19. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (Isaiah, 
Chap, lxi, verse 1.) 

This may well have been recited by Christ. Luke availed 
himself of the book of Isaiah, and why may not Christ have 
done so? Under these circumstances why should the wise 
words of Christ have created any astonishment? 

Chap, iv, verse 21. And He began to say unto them, This 
day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears. 

22. And all bare LLim witness, and wondered at the 
gracious words which proceeded out of LLis mouth. 

This saying, which Luke twists into a reference to Christ, 
is simply the testimony of Isaiah in his own behalf. Then 
we read, Chap, iv, verse 30. " But he, passing through the 
■midst of them went his way" This very ordinary act is 
stated as though there was something miraculous about it. 



The Gospel of Luke, 117 

There is nothing to show that the excited crowd intended 
to molest Him, 

The reported miracles as to the driving out of devils, the 
healing of the sick and afflicted are passed over without 
comment, Christ performing so many miracles that they 
are commonplace incidentals to the story. By this method 
he can attribute to Christ thousands of miracles in a few 
words, without troubling himself to gather facts relating to 
any of them. 

In the present day there are many who believe in the 
healing of sickness by device, as well as in the supernatural 
power of u old wives 7 ' and fortune-tellers, and even that 
some have communication with the spirits of the dead. We 
know from the Scriptures, too, that many practised these 
arts at the time of Christ, and the miracles attributed to 
Christ were therefore not so very wonderful to the super- 
stitious people. The false prophets, as we read, worked won • 
derfui miracles also, and also the apostles, so in that mira- 
cle-working age the special gifts of Christ were not so re- 
markable as they appear to be now. Chap, ix, verse 1. 
*' Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave 
them power and authority over aU devils and to cure all dis- 
eases J 7 

It was not necessary to be a follower of Christ, or even a 
believer in the Jewish God to do this wonderful thing. 
Chap, ix, verse 19, u And John answered and -said, Master, 
we saw one casting^ out devils in Thy name, a,nd we forbade 
him because he followed not with us" 

From all this we can see that Luke is putting on record 
the common fables of the common people as events that 
naturally occurred. 

That the imagined devil and evil spirits occupy such a 
prominent part in the book, is in conformity with the super- 
stitious spirit of those times. The imagined devil was a 
terror to humanity, who made his presence known and felt 
in various ways. All afflictions the people did not under- 
stand were visitations of the evil one, a belief which is 



143 The Gospel of Luke. 

current in some eastern countries even to this day. Some 
of the representations of him bj Luke are really comical. 
He describes quite a number as inhabiting and torturing 
one man's body ; devils who had an individuality, for Christ 
was curious to know their names ; who spoke the common 
tongue, and experienced common emotions incidental to 
humanity. 

Chap, viii, verse 30. And Jesus ashed him, saying, What 
is thy name f And he said, Legion : because many devils 
were entered into him. 

31. And they besought him that he would not command 
them to go out into the deep. 

What peculiar relations must have existed between Christ 
and those devils that He should en.er into a detiuite agree- 
ment with them, and carry out their wishes. 

Chap, viii, verse 32. And thtre was there an herd of 
many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought 
Him that he would sufer them to enter into them. And He 
suffered them. 

And the poor spirits, rely upon the word of Christ, but 
they were sadly cheated, for the pigs carried them away 
into the deep and they were drowned. 

Then, who did the pigs belong to, and what, right had 
Christ to wilfully destroy any man's property? Had this 
incident occurred in our day, He would have had to answer 
to the law about it. Anyhow He is guilty of gross injustice ; 
that is, if it really did happen. 

The little story about the servant of the centurion who 
was about to die but was miraculously saved, is so interest- 
ing that it is here cited in full. 

Chap, vii, verse 2. And a certain centurions servant, 
who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die. 

3. And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto Him the 
elders of the Jews, beseeching Him that He would come and 
heal his servant. 

4. And when they came to Jesus, they besought Him instant- 
ly, saying, That he was %vorthy for whom He should do this : 



The Gospel of Luke. 149 

5. For he loveth our nation, and he that built us a syna- 
gogue. 

6. Then Jesus went with them. And when He was now 
not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, 
saying unto Him, Lord, trouble not thyself y for I am not 
worthy that Thou shouldest enter under my roof. 

7. Wlierefore neither thought I Myself worthy to come 
unto thee : but say in a word, and my servant shall be 
healed. 

8. For I also am a man set under authority, having 
under me soldiers y and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth y 
and to another, Come, and he comech y and to my servant. 
Do this, and he doeth it. 

9. When Jesus heard these things, He marvelled at him, 
and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed 
him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, 
not in Israel. 

The centurion was most probably a Gentile, as it is stated 
that lie had only heard of Jesus and that he sent Jews to 
Jesus as interceders. The story is told, however, as though 
the centurion was himself present and addressed these words 
to Cmist. This is another evidence of careless or wilful 
misrepresentation on the part of Luke. 

The centurion, although an unbeliever, heard of Christ 
and was at once convinced that He could heal his servant 
from a distance and sent some Jews to effect this. His 
faith surprised Christ, and he immediately healed the ser- 
vant, Then those friends of the centurion, who had repre- 
sented the case to Christ, went home, and found the man 
cured. None of the disciples saw either the servant or 
the centurion. Who knows that the whole is not a Jewish 
lib to dupe Christ. Chap, vii, verse 10. "And they that 
were sent returning to the house, found the servant whole 
thai had been sick." Luke, it should be remembered, states 
this from Rome forty years after it is supposed to have hap- 
pened. 

No doubt the story is told to prove what strong belief 



150 The Gospel of L¥Ke~ 

can do even for a heathen ; l>nt it also proves- that a thorough.) 
belief in Christ as the Son of God is not necessary to ob- 
tain heaven r s favor. 

That such stories as the foregoing- were generally accept- 
ed, we cannot marvel, as it was an ignorant superstitious 
time. Then the earth was considered to be a plane, and God 
lived just behind the clouds,, where He sat upon a throne 
surrounded by angels and saints, and demons traversed the 
earth contradicting and thwarting. His divine will. The 
marvel is that men believe such absurd things now, when 
scientific and historical knowledge are so* universal. The 
magnitude of creation and the unchangeable laws* of nature 
are now generally understood ; yet there are thousands of 
human beings who are as blindly-bigoted in regard to re- 
ligious sentiment as were those of Luke r s day. The mother 
of Christ is said to have been seen en earth during "recent 
years r and so strong is this belief, that the sick and afflict- 
ed in mind or body have waited long years at various- 
places for her reappearance. Any silly story, shrouded in 
mystery and connected with religion^ will find thousands, 
of believers even now. 

One of the most astonishing miracles ever recorded is the 
feeding of the five-thousand people with fiv^ loaves of bread 
and two small fishes. 

Chap, xvii, verse 16. Then he took the five loaves and two 
fishes-, and tooling up te heaven, he blessed them, and brake., 
and gave to the disevple& to set before the multitude. 

17. And they did eat, and were all filled : and there mus 
taken uj> fragments that remained to them twelve baskets- 

The question must of course arise — in what manner did 
the loaves and fishes multiply so quickly ? This is not 
mentioned, but then, with people who believe the story of 
the old Scripture that the world was created out of nothing* 
such details were doubtless thought unnecessary. We must 
regret that Luke, who in the beginning of his story is so 
very exact, dii not keep us his detailed style until he 
reached this point. 



The Gospel of LtKE. 151 

Neither can we understand very well how Christ managed 
to break bread and fishes for live thousand people; at least 
it must have been a gigantic task. There is, in reality, 
very little to be said about this miracle, except that if we 
regard Luke as an authority, it may be believed. Whether 
our readers, after what has already been shown, are willing 
to accept his statement as reliable, is for them to consider. 
The same must be said about other similar miracles, which 
are referred to only to show that they have not passed our 
notice. They are, to a great extent, but a repetition of the 
incidents we have discussed before, -and it would be vain .to 
misuse the patience of the reader by commenting upon 
them at length. 

The miraculous draught of fishes. 

A man covered with leprosy immed- 
iately cured. 

The man with palsy restored. 

The man with the withered hand re- 
stored. 

The dead son of a widow restored to 
life. 

Mary cured from seven devils. 

Christ commands the storm. 

A woman with issue of blood for 
twelve years cured. 

The only daughter of the ruler of the 
• synagogue recalled to life. 

A young man cured of an unclean 
spirit. 

In regard to the miracles respecting the man with palsy, the 
woman with an issue of blood, and the young man with an 
unclean spirit, these, if anything of the kind happened, may 
have been impostors who desired to make themselves promi- 
nent, as no testimony is furnished by them or others, that 
they really w T ere afflicted with such diseases, and whether 
they recovered or not is another question. 



Chap, v, 


verse 6. 


a 


v , 


a 


13. 


a 


V , 


a 


20. 


a 


vi, 


u 


6. 


a 


vii, 


a 


12. 


a 


viii, 


ii 


2. 


*< 


viii, 


a 


24. 


a 


viii, 


a 


47. 


it 


viii, 


a 


54. 


a 


ix, 


a 


42. 



152? The Gospel of Luke. 

In regard to the seven devils who are alleged to have 
inhabited Mary, we are curious to know how they acted, 
and if they were really devils. If they visibly departed 
from her, then there could be no doubt. And why is it 
that no one is possessed with devils that may be exorcised 
nowadays? Is the world become too civilized for them ? 
Mary, in all probability, suffered from some common dis- 
order, which the superstition of the age attributed to devils. 
It may be that u possessed with devils" was a slang phrase 
merely. 

Christ commanding the storm may be just as easily 
explained. While He was crossing the Lake of Capernaum 
in a boat, a heavy wind arose, and frightened His disciples 
who accompanied Him. Christ may have been sleeping, 
and when He was aroused on account of the prospective 
danger, may have answered in His usual composed way, 
that they should not be afraid, as there was no real danger, 
and would soon be over. His disciples, . considering 
these simple words as prophetic, marvelled at His power, 
when the wind, a short time after, did subdue. How- 
ever, these are explanations only as to how these mira- 
cles mifirht have occurred. 

Stronger evidence against Luke's authenticity is found in 
the story of the resurrection of the daughter of Jairus, in 
which he clmrges Peter, John and James, with having been 
present. 

Chap, viii, verse 51. And when he. came into the house he 
suffered no man to go in, save Peter and James and John, 
and, the father and the mother of the maiden. 

None of the apostles mentioned allude to the miracle in 
any way. John furnishes us a long report of Christ's 
doings, and surely would not have neglected this important 
miracle if he had witnessed it 

The doctrines attributed to Christ by Luke are so crude 
and absurd that we cannot by any possibility reconcile them 
to Christ's general character. From the records of Peter 
and James we gained the impression that they were just, 



The Gospel of Llke.^ 153 

human, loving. Luke, on the contrary, attributes to him 
such absurdly irrational doctrine as this. 

Chap, xix, verse 59. And he said unto another, Follow 
me, But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my 
father. 

60. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: 
but go thou aud preach the kingdom of God. 

61. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee' but 
let me first go and bid them farewell which are at ho?ne at 
my house. 

62. And Jesus said unto him, Wo man, having put his 
hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom 
of God. 

In striking contrast to this is the doctrine in regard to 
the respect and love we should show toward our neighbors, 
but above all, to our parents. 

Chap, xviii, verse 20. Thou knowest the commandments, 
Do not commit adidtery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not 
bear false witnesses t Honor thy father and thy mother. 

The significance of these commandments carries with it 
the duty of paying the highest respect to the remains of 
those he recommends us to honor so highly ; and the obser- 
vances of this could in no way interfere with the honor 
to be paid to Christ or to God. To those who believe that 
Christ preached the purest and sweetest doctrine of love to 
all humanity, this statement of Luke's must be something 
of a shock. But such statements must be attributed to 
want of thought and carelessness on the part of Luke ; and 
this theory is confirmed in the following suggestions by 
him. 

Chap, xii, verse 53. The father shall be divided against 
the son, and the son against the father ; the mother against 
the daughter, and the daughter against the mother • the 
mother-in-law against her d aughter-in-law, and the daughter- 
in-law against her mother-in-law. 

Chap, xiv, verse 26. If any man come to Me, and hate 
not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and 



154: The Gospel of Luke. 

brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot 
be My disciple. 

Cliap. xvi, verse 29. And He said unto them, Verily I say, 
There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren,, 
or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake. 

30. Who shall not receive manifold more in this present 
time, and in the world to come life everlasting. 

These are horrible doctrines, and entirely in conflict with 
all human and divine laws, and the laws of nature. It can 
never be believed that such crimes are commanded and 
rewarded by an all-good and Almighty God. 

These doctrines are evidently written to enforce an un- 
conditional belief in Christ, and for no other purpose. 
There was no thought of the mischief they might do in 
time to come. 

The same carelessly malevolent spirit is observed in the 
damnation Luke — not Christ — predicts, will visit those cities 
which do not receive the apostles. 

Chap, x, verse 10. But into whatsoever city ye enter, and 
they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the 
same, and say, 

Chap, x, verse 12. But I say unto you. That it shall be 
more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. 

13. Woe unto thee, Chorazin ! woe unto thee, Bethsaida ! 
for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon 
which have been done in you, they had a great while ago re- 
pented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 

14. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at 
the judgment, than for you. 

15. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, 
shall be thrust down to hell. 

Cities in which the gospel of Christ had not been 
preached before, and where His name even had never been 
known ! In these places the inhabitants were to embrace 
at once the new religion revealed to them by some strange 
preacher, or suffer indescribable punishments. 

But if one or two received the apostles, then the cities 



The Gospel of Luke. 155 

would be saved ; consequently the safety of thousands de- 
pended on one or two people becoming converts. Accord- 
ing to this Christ would have been the most vain and cruel 
tyrant that ever existed. 

From this and other instances we have given, our impres- 
sion of Luke must be that he was a credulous, inconsiderate 
and stubborn defender of the traditions of Christ : a man 
who thoughtlessly adopted any story, or set up any kind of 
doctrine that was likely to give him support. The absurdity 
of other of his doctrines is shown in the following. 

Chap, xii, verse 22. T And he said unto his disciples, 
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, 
what ye shall eat • neither for the body, what ye shall put on. 

23. The life is more than meat, and the body is more thorn 
raiment. 

24. Consider the ravens : for they neither sow nor reap / 
which neither have storehouses or barn y and God feedeth 
them : how much more are ye better than the fowls f 

If we faithfully confided in such a doctrine as this, neither 
sowed nor reaped, nor took any care for the future, in 
what a destitute condition we should fall. Even some of 
the lowest creatures are endowed with instinct to care for 
the future ; the correct doctrine would have been : Care 
wisely for the future, both for bodily wants and spiritual, 
for what shall come hereafter ye know not. 

Just as unreasonable are His doctrines about the manage- 
ment of property, which are again in strict contrast to His 
teachings in regard to the wise housholder, the seaman, the 
brides and bridegrooms, and others. Chap, xii, verse 33. 
" Sell all that ye have and give alms.^ 

Chap, xviii, verse 22. Now when Jesus heard these things. 
He said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing : sell all thou 
hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treas- 
ure in heaven ; and corns, follow Me. 

23. And when he heard this he was very sorrowful: 
for he was very rich. 

If a whole country were to follow up this doctrine, where 



156 The Gospel of Luke. 

would be the buyers for goods? If the rich sold all they 
had and distributed it to the poor, the poor would become 
rich. Absurd as this is, there are a few instances in which 
communities have endeavored to follow it out. Associations 
have been formed recognizing the one principle of holding 
all goods in common. In a small community, and only in 
a small community, such an idea may be successfully car- 
ried out. They gain wealth from the outside world by the 
sale of their surplus production, as their own wants are 
regular and limited; and so their wealth accumulates- 
Nothing is gained, however, in a Biblical sense, by such 
communities ; the grasping ambition of the individual is 
simply merged into that of the community. From a mater- 
ial point of view such communities, on a large scale, would 
be impracticable because of the lazy and vicious, who would 
lie in wait and take advantage of their industrious and ocood- 
natured fellow-workers. 

According to the laws of nature and human laws, every 
one is entitled to his earnings. Wealth and power is the 
impulse to industry, enterprise, invention and progress; it 
is the great motive power for education and the develop- 
ment of body and spirit. 

His theory about the future fate of the rich is just as 
ridiculous. 

Chap, xviii, verse 25. For it is easier for a camel to go 
through a needle s eye, than, for a rich man to enter into the 
kingdom of God. 

Now since a camel cannot very well gothroigh a needle's 
eye, the rich cannot consequently go to heaven, except a 
big needle was made, with a very big eye, so that a camel 
could saunter through it, then the rich might have a chance. 
Luke could not have been entirely clear in his mind as to 
what riches meant. He only saw the line houses and the 
Hue apparel of the rich, and being envious, lie condemned 
it. He condemned wealth as wealth. What amount of 
riches a man might have without endangering his soul he 
does not hint at. Indeed he rather contradicts himself on 



The Gospel of Luke. 157 

this point. He gives an instance where a wealthy man se- 
cured heaven by disposing of only half his wealth. 

Chap, xix, verse 8. And Zaccheus stood, and said unto 
the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods L give to the 
poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by 
false accusation, 1 restore him fourfold. 

9. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come 
to this house. 

Luke's babblings are of little acjount, except as they 
assist, in proving that Christianity was especially directed 
to the poor and ignorant classes; it was a promise to them 
that all their tribulation here would be rewarded hereafter. 
This was the secret of its success. 

Luke's theory of heaven and hell is a recital of the Jewish 
doctrine found in the Old Testament. 

Chap, xiii, verse 28. There shall be weeping and gnashing 
of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Lsaac, and Jacob, 
and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you your- 
selves thrust out. 

While he thus confirms the doctrines of the Jews upon 
these points, at other places he condemns those who strict- 
ly adhere to them. He fails to point out how it is that 
these Jewish doctrines, which were once sufficient unto 
salvation, should now work only damnation to those who 
believe and rely upon them. 

In regard to the parables, the meaning of which it is 
difficult to define in many instances, they are deemed in 
this discussion to be of little value, as they contain no spec- 
ial doctrine and no historical data. 

As to the proceedings and doctrine of Christ in general, 
we must conclude that there is in it little that is tenable 
and reliable. If we accept His representations we have to 
believe Christ to thave been an absurdly vain and selfish 
individual : but we choose rather, to believe Luke is the 
author of all those deceitful doctrines he attributes to 
Christ, and keep of the latter the good opinion formed by 
a careful consideration of the epistles of Peter, John, 



158 The Gospel op Luke. 

James and Jude : none of these give any evidence that such 
absurd doctrines as those just mentioned ever existed. 

Some objection may be raised that these doctrines, it* not 
true, would have been contradicted at once. To this we 
reply that this book is a private letter which Luke wrote 
to his friend Theophilus, and that in all probability its con- 
tents were not made public until years and years after. It 
then fell into the hands of some Church authority, who was 
collecting documentary records of the early Churches, and 
adopted them as the faithful representation, as the acts 
and doctrines of Christ 

Luke's description of Christ's passion is written in better 
style than the rest. The facts in regard to this were 
probably better known and remembered, and therefore 
Luke's record of them has a greater air of probability 
about it. 

The peculiar proceeding relative to the obtaining of the 
colt we cannot, however, pass over without special com- 
ment. It is a very easy matter to find a colt, at places 
where donkeys are plentiful, but we must consider it 
strange that the owner should have been satisfied with the 
answer of the disciples wdien they loosed the colt. Chap, 
xix, verse 34. " And they said the Lord hath need of him. >} 
If Christ had been a distinguished ruler, or any one of 
recognized authority, such favors would readily have been 
granted by many a stranger ; since, however, Christ and His 
followers met with so much opposition, He could not have 
been generally recognized as such. We must suppose that 
the owner of the colt was a follower and friend of Christ, to 
whom the disciples were specially directed. 

We may well suppose that Christ, considering Himself a 
superior being, showed a wish to enter Jerusalem as a Prince 
of Peace; and in ail probability the whole thing was ar- 
ranged so that it might tally with an old prophecy of 
Zachariah. Chap, ix, verse 9. T Rejoice greatly, daughter 
of Zion ; shout, daughter of Jerusalem : behold thy king 
cometh unto thee : he is just, and having salvation / 



The Gospel of Luke. 159 

lowly, and riding vjpon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of 
an ass. 

This was a prophecy, as is seen,to be easily fulfilled. About 
the place designed by Christ where He would sup, there 
appears nothing miraculous. Chap, xxii, verse 10. " And 
He said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, 
there shall a, man meet you, hearing a pitcher of water, fol- 
low him into the house where he enter eth in, etc. 

The place may have been known to Christ, and the man to 
whom He directed them be a friend of His, He might 
previously have met the man, with a water pitcher, at the 
same place and referred to this. 

The prophecy concerning the coming destruction of 
Jerusalem, attributed to Christ, is likewise strictly copied 
from the Old Testament, in which the total destruction of 
that city is repeatedly spoken of. Nevertheless Christ, beino- 
thoroughly acquainted with these prophecies, may also have 
alluded to the dire calamity that was to fall upon this 
corrupted city. If this allusion of His can be called a 
prophecy, it must be noted that it is in the very same words 
that Isaiah uses in reference to the same occurrence. In 
all probability it was copied from the Old Testament by 
Luke, and by him attributed to Christ. 

Chap, xix, verse 43. For the days shall come upon, thee 
that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and com- 
pass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, 

44. And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy 
children within thee; and they shaU not leave in thee one 
stone upon another ; because thou hnewest not the time of 
thy visitation. 

This, as we have shown, cannot be accepted as evidence 
of the prophetic power of Christ, at it was foretold long 
before He was born. Nor, although it happened to be ful- 
filled, is there anything remarkable in the prophecy. The 
Jews of olden time were an unruly and unstable people, 
and the thoughtful men of that age simply foresaw what 
must, in the natural order of things be the result of their 



160 The Gospel of Luke. 

turbulent disloyalty. This natural result, however, is 
attributed by Luke to the direct vengeance of God— a 
vengeance set in motion by the obstinacy of the Jews in 
refusing to accept Christ, on whose behalf Luke likes to 
assume the whole Bible and all its prophecies was written, 

Chap, xxi, verse 22. For these be 'the days of vengeance 
that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 

The parable of the corner s l one is also copied from the 
old Scriptures, and was cunningly employed in behalf of 
Christ. But it does not seeni to bear any reference to the 
expected Messiah. 

Chap, xx, verse IT. And he beheld them and said, What 
is this then that is written, The stone which the builders re- 
jected, the same is become the head of the corner f 

Isaiah, Chap, xxviii, verse 16, i herefore thus saith the 
Lord God, Behold, Hay in Zionfor a foundation a stone, 
a precious stone, a sure foundation : he that believeth shall 
not make haste. 

The following prophecy, however, is remarkable as it has 
been in some sense fulfilled. 

Chap, xxi, verse 24. And they shall fall by the edge of 
the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations : 
and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until 
the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. 

The Jews have not literally been led captive into all 
nations ; but the testimony of their city and their dispersion 
among all nations has become a matter of fact. 

This idea may have orignated with Luke himself, who, 
being a Roman, was annoyed at the pertinacity with which 
the Jews clung to their ancient worship. And the Jews 
were independent and obstinate, and very hostile towards 
their Roman oppressors. Luke, as a Roman, was inspired 
by this to prophecy that the pride of the Jews would be 
bowed in the dust, as their history showed it had been 
before time. 

The prophecies in regard to the terrible tribulations 
through wdiich the world was to pass, and the signs from 



The Gospel of Litke. 161 

heaven that were to appear, are also copied from the Old 
Testament. Their fulfilment, however, is not yet come, 
unless we chose to consider the occurrence of some natural 
phenomena as a fulfilment. 

Chap, xxi, verse 11. And great earthquakes shall he in 
divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful 
sights, and great signs shall there he from heaven. 

Chap, xxi, verse 25. If And there shall he signs in the sun, 
and in the moon , and in the stars; and upon the earth distress 
of nations, with perplexity ; the sea and the waves roaring. 

26. Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking 
after those things which are coming on the earth ; for the 
powers qf heaven shall he shaken. 

Chap, xxi, verse 32. Verily I say unto you, This genera- 
lion shall not pass away till all he fulfilled. 

33. Heaven and earth shall ? ass away; hut My words 
shall not pass away. 

The generation Luke speaks of has passed away, long, 
long ago. Jerusalem has been destroyed. Wars, pestilence, 
earthquakes, famine, have visited us frequently, yet still we 
are contented and prosperous- 
Luke's history of the passion of Christ is singularly 
superficial, brief and incoherently related. The mysterious 
incidents of the birth of Christ are given as full as possible,, 
even conversations are reported; the noteworthy death of 
Christ, the most important episode of His life, is merely 
alluded to. This is remarkable. 

In the beginning of this meagre story the devil is again 
made a scapegoat. Re is said to have jumped into Judas 
to effect his purpose. Chap, xxii, verse 3. " Then entered 
the Satan into Judas, sur named Iscariot, heing one of the 
number of the twelve.'" This must have been a very dar- 
ing devil, to enter one of the disciples, and while Christ 
was present, too; why did Christ, who had command over 
devils allow it? Christ knew that Satan would enter into< 
Judas, for He alluded to it, and yet does nothing to warn or 
to save His disciple. 



162 Thu Gospel of Luke. 

Chap, xxii, verse 21. % Hut,behold, the hand of Mm that 
betrayeth Me is with Me on the table. 

22. And truly the 8071 of man goeth, as it was deter- 
mined : but woe unto that man by whom He is betrayed! 

This leaves Christ open to a terrible accusation. One 
whom He had entrusted with the high office of apostle, who 
had suffered persecution and hardship with Him, and for 
His sake, was the perpetrator of a crime which He might 
easily have averted. He actually laid a temptation in the 
way of His trusted friend. Knowing his weakness and that 
he would succumb to it. If Christ knew beforehand what 
was to happen, and it is alleged that He did, He actually 
tempted t lie innocent Judas into the commission offca most 
atrocious crime. This story, if true, stamps the character of 
Christ with the most shameful act of treachery and 
hypocrisy. 

If any mere outsider had committed the crime of betray- 
ing Christ into the hands of His enemies, the result would 
have been the same. According to Luke, Christ designedly 
raised the betrayer to high office in order that His fall 
might be the greater. Are we to believe that Christ was 
guilty of such a shameful proceeding? 

In the remainder of Luke's account of the Last Supper 
we observe little of importance, except the reference to 
troubles that were to come. 

Chap, xxii, verse 15. And He said unto them, With de- 
sire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I 
suffer : 

Chap, xxii, verse 19. And He took bread, and gave thanks, 
and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is My body, 
which is given for you: this do in remembrance of Me. 

We must assume from this account that the theory of 
Christ's foreknowledge of His impending fate, was come to 
afterwards. Had Christ possessed this knowledge, this last 
earthly meal would have been of a more special character. 
It was, as will be proven later, a regular Jewishfeast, ;it 
which friends gathered, and thanks were said, and prayers 



The Gospel of Luke. 163 

offered such as by the head of the family. There does not ap- 
pear to have been anything of a special character at the 
feast, of the passover which was two days subsequent to 
this. There was great agitation at the time, and they 
perhaps gathered secretly, not knowing whether they would 
ever again have the opportunity of feasting together. 
Christ, no doubt, and indeed all the disciples knew of the 
dangers by which they were surrounded, and many allu- 
sions were probably made thereto. 

Lake's carelessness of statements again creeps out in his 
record of the dispersion by Christ of His disciples. 

Chap* xxii, verse 29. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, 
<as My Father hath appointed unto Me y 

30. That ye may eat and drink at My table in My 
kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of 
Israel. 

Here it is stated that Christ had appointed His twelve 
disciples to sit on twelve thrones in heaven from which 
they should judge the twelve tribes of Israel. The twelve 
here mentioned must include Judas, who, as Christ knew 
beforehand, wa? about to desert Him. Judas, it is assumed, 
on the other hand, could not go to heaven with such a sin 
upon his soul, therefore one throne would be vacant and 
one tribe would have to go unjudged. The idea of the 
twelve eating and drinking at the Lord's table in heaven 
is too childish to need comment. 

Then we come to the mention of swords at the last supper. 
This is probably inserted as an introduction to the story of 
Peter's heroic defence of Christ. 

Chap, xx, verse 50. T And one of them smote a servant 
of the high priest, and cut off his right ear, 

51, And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. 
And He touched his ear, and healed him. 

Whether these peaceable disciples always carried swords, 
or where they so suddenly obtained them, is not stated. 
On the Mount, of Olives Christ withdrew from His disciples 
one stones cast, to pray. 



164 The Gospel of Ltjkk. 

Chap, xxii, verse 41, And He was withdrawn from them 
about a stone's cast^ u)td kneeled down, and prayed. 

This is probable. Christ was aware of some coming: 
trouble and wished to pray by Himself. But how came 
Lute to know the exact words He used in His, prayer? 
And how did he find out that the sweat of Christ came 
down like drops of blood. 

Chap, xxii, verse 44. And being in an agony He prayed 
more earnestly : and His sweat was as it were great drops 
of blood falling down to the ground. 

Still more curious is it when we consider his next state- 
ment. 

Verse 45, And when He rose %ip from prayer, and was- 
come to His disciples, He found them sleeping J 'or sorrow. 

It is strange that the disciples should sleep in the hour of 
supreme danger to their Lord. This rather shows that they 
were not aware of any danger, and it is more curious that 
they should, while asleep, hear and remember the words of 
His prayer, and also see what was going on. 

Chap, xxii, verse 43. And there appeared an angel u^t<r 
Him from heaven, strengthening Him. 

That Christ should have told His disciples all that hap- 
pened, and that He had been praying for His own glorifica- 
tion cannot for a moment be assumed. Neither was there 
any opportunity for His making such a communication to 
them. The soldiers came upon them while they still slept :, 
and after Christ r s betrayal unto them there certainly was no 
opportunity, so far as we can learn. 

That Judas betrayed Christ, and even with a kiss, we 
have no cause to doubt ;, and the denial of Christ by Peter 
may also be accepted. Christ may have hinted that when 
trouble came His disciples would leave Him,, and Peter had 
no doubt often assured Him in reply y that no danger should 
ever part them. When Christ was captured Peter remem- 
bered his asservations and desired to be near Christ to prove 
his loyalty. 

Chap. xxii. verse 54. Then took they llim, and led Him r 



The Gospel of LrxE. 165 

■o/nd brought Him into th-e high priesfs house. And Peter 
followed afar off. 

Peter then went early in the morning, when the cocks 
were crowing, and sneaked into the hall unnoticed, as he 
believed. But he was recognized and questioned, and for 
his own safety he frequently denied all relation to Christ. 
Perchance Christ look-ed round at the moment, and Peter, 
meeting His eye, felt ashamed of his cowardice and went 
out weeping bitterly. 

The trial of Christ does not appear to have been witnessed 
by any of His disciples, as even Peer, the most heroic of the 
twelve, sneaked . away before the proceedings opened- 
Secret followers of Christ may have been present, however; 
the whole trial and execution of Christ had most probably 
hecome thoroughly well known, and Luke, while on his 
visit to Jerusalem, may possible have been able to collect 
the real laets. The life and aetions of Christ were very 
little known, but the incidents in connection with His death 
mos t probbly were "widely known an 1 remembered. This 
accounts for the many fables which are interwoven with 
His life only. 

The claim of Christ that He was the expected Messiah 
■caused great excitement among the Jews. To them it 
seemed blasphemy of the worst possible form. Chap, xxii, 
verse 69. " Hereafter shall the son of man sit on the right 
hand of the power of God. Then said they all— Art thou 
then the Son of God? And Re said unto them, ye say that 
I am" 

Chap, xxiii, verse 3. u And Pil<iU asked Him, saying, 
Art thou the king of the Jewsf And He answered him and 
said — Thou say est it" 

This would of course excite to a higher pitch the hatred 
of the Jews against Him. There is no cause for doubt, either 
that Herod the tetrach mocked Him. 

Chap, xxiii, verse 11. And Herod with his men of war 
set Him at nought, and- mocked Him, and arrayed Him in 
«:t gorgeous robe, and sent Him again to PV-aie. 



166 The Gospel of Luke. 

Herod possibly desired to please the Jews and to make 
himself witty at the expense of the prisoner, believing, in 
all probability, that he was simply a self-deluded fool. 
Pilate, however, seems to have treated the matter more 
seriously and to have endeavored to adm.nister impartial 
justice. Chap, xxiii, verse 14-16 : " Said unto them y ye have 
Drought this man unto me as one that perverteth the people* 
and behold J have examined Him before you, have found no- 
fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse 
Him JVo, nor yet Herod, for I sent you to him ; and to 
nothing worthy of death is done by Him. I will therefore 
chastise Him and release Him." But this did not satisfy 
them. Chap. xxiii,verse 21. " But they cried, saying, crucify 
Him, crucify Him.'' 3 Pilate^ however, does not give way 
to them. 

Chap, xxiii, verse 22. And He said unto them the third 
time, Why, what evil hath He done? I have found no 
cause of death in Him : 1 will therefore chastise Him and 
le' Him go. 

Pilate was not able,however,to control the fury of the Jews. 

Chap, xxiii, verse 23. And they were instant with loud 
voices, requiring that He might be crucified : and the voices 
of them and of the chief priests prevailed. 

Finally he had to submit to the popular demand. 

Chap, xxiii, verse 21. And Pilate gave sentence that it 
should be as they required 

The following incidents of the story, the great crowd 
which followed Christ to the place of execution, that Christ 
addressed the bystanders, that some sympathized with and 
lamented His fate, that a merciful man carried His cross, 
that He wps crucified between two criminals, and yet prayed 
for His enemies — some of whom mocked Him, that the 
soldiers gave him vinegar to drink and cast lots for his 
raiment ; and that 

Chap, xxiii, verse 38. "A superscription also was written 
over Him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew^ 
THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWSr 



The Gospel of Luke. 167 

All this may be in conformity with the facts. Even the 
consolation to one of the malefactors, 

Chap, xxiii, verse 43. And Jesus said unto him, Verily 
I say unto thee, To-day shalt t^ou he with Me in Paradise. 
and all his other sayings at this time, may have been re- 
ported correctly, but in the whole story there is nothing 
that can be accepted as proof of the alleged divine character 
of the martyr. 

Darkness is said to have prevailed from the sixth to the 
ninth hour. 

Chap, xxiii, verse 44. T And it was about the sixth hour, 
and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth 
hour. 

and, probably this darkness continued until the next morn- 
ing. 

Yerse 45. And the sun was darkened, and the vail of the 
temple was rent in the midst. 

There might have been a local darkness — occasioned by 
natural causes, of course — but how did Luke know that it 
extended over all the world? And it is surprising also how 
they came to know that the vail of the temple was rent. 
Only the priests were admitted into the interior of the tem- 
ple. If they were opposed to Christ they would not men- 
tion this evidence of His power ; if they were secretly in 
His favor, they would still keep silent for fear of exciting 
even more intense feeling against the Christians. 

The centurion, it is stated, even came to believe that 
Jesus was a righteous man. 

47. 1" Now when the centurion saw what was done,- he 
glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous m m. 

This might not have been on account of the alleged mir- 
aculous circumstances attending His death, but a simple 
conclusion based on Christ's conduct. 

This is the whole of the history of the passion, according 
to Luke, and there does not seem to be anything very won- 
derful about it, when it comes to be analyzed, and there is 
no reason why the facts stated should not be accepted. 



168 . The Gospel of Luke. 

The history of the resurrection, however, seems to be an 
enormous distortion or fabrication. The body of Christ was 
taken from the cross, and after having been embalmed, 
according to Jewish custom, was laid in the sepulchre- 
Chap, xxiv, verse 1. "JVbw upon the first day of the weeJc, 
very early in the morning, they came unto the , sepulchre, 
bringing the spices they had prepared, and certain others- 
with them, and they found the stone rolled away from the 
sepulchre" These women went early to visit the grave, and 
rhey found the stone removed. Excited by this circumstance 
they hastily glanced into the sepulchre and fancied they saw 
two white figures. The women hurried back and told their 
experience to the disciples and others. Chap, xxiv, verse 9. 
k< And returned from the the sepidchre and told all these 
filings unto the eleven and to the rest" Then Peter went to 
the grave. 

CI iap. xxiv, verse 12. Then arose Peter, and ran unto 
the sepulchre / and stooping down, he beheld the linen 
clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in him- 
self at that which was come to pass. 

Peter also found the grave empty, but instead of the 
white figures he found the white linen bauds which had 
enwrapped the dead. These white bands, we may suggest, 
were wbat the women's excited fancies had transformed 
into angels. 

The body of Christ had disappeared, and they at once 
remembered that He had preached the doctrine of the resur- 
rection. What so natural, therefore, that it should be 
spread abroad that Christ had arisen. That the shining fig- 
ures had spoken to the women is possibly an addition by 
Luke, or might have obtained currency from the tittle-tat- 
tle of the women themselves, who would be sure to make 
as much as possible of the supposed miracle. 

Chap, xxiv, verse 5. And as they were afraid y and bowed 
down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why 
seek ye the living among the dead f 

On the other hand, we may suppose that the enraged 



The Gospel of Luke. 169 

Jews were not satisfied with having killed Christ, but were 
desirions of preventing any veneration of His remains. They 
therefore themselves robbed the grave, and carried away 
i lie body to some secret place. This they thought would 
end the adoration paid to the martyr, but, as it turned out, 
they defeated their own purpose by so doing, and only in- 
creased the belief in Christ's divine origin. From Luke we 
have no evidence which refutes this theory. 

Then the account dives again into the mysterious, of which 
Luke is so fond. Christ is said to have been seen, not as a 
spirit, but a being of solid flesh and blood. 

Chap, xxiv, verse 13. T And. behold, two of them went 
that same day to a village called Emaus, which was from 
Jerusalem about thr< escore furlongs. 

These two met a stranger on the road, who spoke of the 
doctrines of Christ, andalso of His martyrdom. He spoke so 
well, and appeared to be so full of this subject, that the men, 
having heard of Christ's resurrection, came to the conclu- 
sion that, he must be Christ. But He was quite different in 
appearance, and the idea of his personality only came to 
them subsequenth T . Nevertheless they went and informed 
the disciples, perhaps with the view of making themselves 
important. 

Chap, xxiv, verse 34. Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, 
and hath ajjjpeared to Simon. 

This Simon must not be confounded with Simon Peter, 
as the latter was among the disciples to whom the story 
was reported. Chap, xxiv, verse 33. "And they rose up 
the same hour and returned to Jerusalem , and found the 
eleven gathered together, and them that were with themP 

The appearance of Christ in the midst of the gathered 
crowd we must believe to be a fabrication, as neither Peter 
nor James, who allude to the sufferings and death of 
Christ, make any mention of having seen Christ after death. 
Paul, who entered on his mission a few years later, seriously 
pretests against the fable of this bodily resurrection. But 
Luke endeavors to prove it by the following. 



170 The Gospkl of Luke, 

Chap, xxiv, verse 42, And they gave Him a piece of a 
broiled fish, and of an honey-comb. 

43. And He took it, and did eat before them. 

Then Luke goes on to report that Christ, in the body, led 
His disciples to Bethany and there disappeared from their 
sight. 

Chap, xxiv, verse' 50. 1" And He led them out as far as 
Bethany / and He lifted up His hands, and blessed them. 

51. And it came to pass, while He blessed them, he was 
parted from them, and carried up into heaven. 

The rest of the book is of such a superficial and unnatural 
character, that to give consideration to it, would simply be 
a waste of time, and more so, when later on Luke's reliabil- 
ity will come seriously into question. 



THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 



This evangelist we are by this time well acquainted with, 
as Paul refers to him frequently, II Timothy, Chap, iv verse 
11. " Only Luke is with Me. Take Mark and bring him 
with thee, for he is profitable to Me for the ministry (Erom 
Rome.) Colossians, Chap, iv, verse 10. " Aristarchus my 
fellow-prisoner \ saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to 
Barnabas, touching whom you received commandments — if 
he come unto you receive him and Jesus, which is called 
Justus, who are of the circumcision." (From Pome,) Phile- 
mon, Chap, i, verse 21. " Marcus, Aristarchus, Demos, 
Lucas, my fe^ow-laborers" (From Pome.) I Peter, Chap, 
v, verse 13. " The Church that is at Babylon, elected to- 
gether with you, saluteth you, and so doth Marcus my son." 

Paul speaks of Mark as being the sister's son of Barna- 
bas ; and Peter says " Mark's my son," consequently Peter 
must have been the brother-in-law of Barnabas. But this 
term "son" is frequently used by the church fathers to the 
young converts, and in this case it may have no other mean- 
ing. Mark certainly showed a marked preference for the 
companionship of Paul rather than of Peter. Once on a 
time, however, he had a serious disagreement with Paul. 

Chap, xv, verse 37. And Barnabas determined to take 
with them John, whose surname was Mark. 

38. But Paul thought not good to take him with them 
who had departed from them from Pamphylia, and went 
not with them to the work. 

39* And the contention was so sharp between them, that 



172 The Gospel of Mark. 

they departed asunder one from the other : and Barnabas 
took Mark, and sailed unto Cypruss : 

This may prove that Mark although young possessed some 
of the obstinacy of Paul himself or qualities he didn't like. 
Mark was of the circumcision, and most probably was a 
Galilean, as according to Luke, his mother lived in that 
part of the country. Acts xxi verse, 12. " And when he had 
considered the thing he came to the house of Mary, the 
mother of John, whose surname was Mark? 

We can have no doubt that this Mark, sometimes called 
Marcus, was the author of " the Gospel according to St. 
Mark " as no other Mark is referred to in any of the gospels. 
Mark had visited Rome and was well known to Luke, and 
encouraged by the marked favor shown to Paul, also desired 
to make himself of some prominence. He therefore started 
to write the life of Christ. His style of writing shows that 
he was the inferior to Luke in education, but his narratives 
are much more carefully told, and are in all probability 
much more reliable. We must remember, too, that Mark 
was all the while travelling and in communication with the 
prominent leaders of the Church, while Luke spent nearly 
the whole of his life in Rome. Therefore we could expect 
a more reliable account from Mark than from Luke. 

The time when Mark wrote his testament, must have been 
about the same time that Luke wrote his, namely, fifty or 
sixty years after the death of Christ, and was too young a 
man to have ever seen Him. 

In regard to the birth and the first years of Christ's life, 
he makes no mention. Possibly he could not accept the 
wild fables told of how Christ came into the world. Like 
Luke he appears to have drawn much information from the 
Old Testament. 

Chap, i, verse 2. As it is written in the Prophets, Behold, 
I send My messenger before thy face, which shall prepare 
thy way before thee. 

Malachi, Chap, iii, verse 1. Behold I will send my mes- 
$vng<r } and he shall prepare the way before me. 



The Gospel of Mark. 173 

The circumstance that the Jews believed a Messiah would 
come, led to Christ being proclaimed the expected one; 
here is no real proof however, of any connection between 
the prophecies and Christ. Numerous supposed coinci- 
dences are given, but these prove no more than those ad- 
duced to show the Scriptural relation of John the Baptist- to 
Christ. 

Chap, i, verse 3. The voice of one crying in the wilder- 
ness. Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths 
straight. 

This is simply a paraphrase of a verse in the Old Testa- 
ment. 

Chap, xl, verse- 3, The voice of him that crieth in the 
wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight 
in the desert a highway for our God. 

These two texts seem to correspond very well, but in the 
original they have no reference either to John the Baptist 
or to Christ. The expressions of Mark in regard to John's 
teachings seem to correspond in a remarkable degree with 
those of Luke, the only difference, being that the diction uf 
the latter is a trifle better. 

Chap, i, verse 7. And preached, saying, There comethone 
mightier than 1 after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am 
not worthy to stoop down and unloose. 

Luke, Chap, iii, verse 16. John answered, saying unto 
them all : I indeed baptize you with water, but one mightier 
than I cometh, the lachet of whose shoes I am not worthy to 
unloose; He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and 
with fire" The above is the only reference Mark makes 
to the teachings of John. 

His account of the temptation of Christ is very short and 
indefinite. 

Chap, i, verse 13. And He was there in tho wilderness 
forty days, tempted of /Satan ; and was with the wild beasts ; 
and the angels ministered unto Him. 

what the wild beasts had to do with His temptation is nut 
very clear. The incident, however, is differently related by 



174 The Gospel of Mar£» 

Luke, and why they should not agree in this account as 
well as in the reference to John just quoted, is difficult to 
explain. The same in explicable difference between the 
statements of these two writers is noticed in the wonderful 
iish story. 

Chap, i, verse 16. Now as He walked by the sea of Gali- 
lee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother easting a net 
into the sea : for they were fishers. 

17. And Jesus said unto them. Come ye after Me, and I 
will make you to become fishers of men. 

Luke here tells a story of a wonderful draught »of fishes, on 
account of which Peter was led to believe in Christ. This 
occurrence Mark should have known better than Luke, as lie 
had been in the company of Peter. Had Luke told the story 
of Mark, and Mark that of Luke, both statements would 
have seemed more natural and consistent. 

Mark's faith seems to have been very M^onderful. He 
states how the men followed Christ as if such conduct on 
their part was a mere matter of course and all things turned 
invariably in his favor. 

18. And straightway they forsook their nets ) and followed 
Him. 

20» And straigMway He called them : and they left their 
father Zebedee in the ship. 

25. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace,, and 
come out of him. 

28. And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout 
all the region round Galilee. 

Chap, i, verse 12. And immediately the spirit drove Him 
into the wilderness,^ and so on. 

Mark alludes to the great doctrines of Christ, but gives no 
idea of what they were. Instead, thereof, he reports any 
number of miracles, the performance of which, apparently, 
immediately followed each other ; about all these wonders 
there is no wonderment. No doubt he found it easier to 
tell insignificant miracles than to discuss sensible doctrines. 

Again we arrive at a most peculiar coincidence. From 



The Gospel of Mark. 175 

Chap, ii, verse 4, down to Chap, iii, verse 6, corresponds 
entirely with Luke from Chap, v, verse 9 to Chap, vi, 
verse 11. We might consider it convincing proof of the 
truth, if the two authors corroborated the principal incidents 
in a story, but when the details of each have a close corres- 
ponding connection, even to the use of similar words and 
phrases, then we must consider that the two accounts were 
written by collusion for a purpose, or that one was copied 
from the other. It cannot be called a coincidence though, 
for as we read on we find other instances of the same tenor. 
Take the following examples of the two evangelists, and in 
each there will be found a close relation. Luke appears to 
have padded out his story with theology, and Mark with 
wonder stories. That is the only difference. 



Mark HI. 8 10 IV. 4 7 8 10 11 14 15 16 17 18 
Luke VI. 17 19 VIII. 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 13 14 

Mark IV. 20 21 22 24 V 9 13 14 15 17 18 19 20 
Luke VIII. 15 16 17 18 — 30 32 34 35 37 38 39 39 

MarkV. 22 23 24 25 26 27 30 34 35 36 37 39 41 43 

Luke VIII. 41 42 43 43 44 44 45 48 49 50 51 52 54 56 

Mark VL 8 10 11 14 15 16 30 35 36 38 
Luke IX. 3 4 5 1 8 9 10 11 12 13 

Mark VI. 40 41 42 VIII 28 29 30 31 34 35 36 
Luke IX. 14 16 17 XI 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 

Mark VIII. 38 IX 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 14 17' 18 19 
Luke XI. 26 27 28 29 30 33 35 36 — 37 38 40 41 

Mark IX. 20 34 37 38 40 X 17 18 19 21 23 
l Luke IX. 42 47 48 48 50 XVIII 18 19 20 22 24 

j Mark X. 25 26 27 28 29 30 33 34 46 47 48 49 

[LukeXVHL 25 26 27 28 29 30 32 33 35 38 39 40 

jMarkX. 51 52 XL 1 2 3 4 7 8 15 17 27 28 

(LukeXVHL 41 42 XIX. 29 30 31 32 35 36 45 46 XX. 1 2 

| Mark XI. 29 30 31 32 33 XII. 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 
( Luke XX. 3 4568 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17' 

j Mark XII. 14 15 16 17 18* 19 20 21 22 23 25 26 27 
j Luke XX. 21 23 24 25 27 28 29 30 32 33 35 37 38 

\ Mark XII. 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 XIIL 12 4 5 7 

\ Luke XX. 41. 42 44 45 46 47 XXL 1234 5678 9 

j MarkXHI. 8 9 11 12 13 26 28 29 30 31 XIV. 10 11 12 13 14 15 
} Luke XXI. 11 12 15 16 17 27 29 31 32 33 XXII. 4 5 9 10 11 12 

\ Mark XIV. 16 17 18 19 21 22 23 24 30 35 36 37 43 44 46 48 4<? 
) Luke XXII. 13 14 21 23 22 19 20 20 34 41 42 45 47 48 50 52 53 



176 The Gospel of Mark. 



When we arrive at the history of the passion we observe 
that there is just as wide a divergence in occurrences; in 
style, and in the ordinary expressions used, as there is pre- 
viously a similarity. The general facts correspond, but the 
details are entirely different. This is possible of explana- 
tion. It may be that the two received these accounts oral I v 
from witnesses and each wrote it in his own way. This 
supposition is strengthened by the important facts touching 
the death of Christ of which some are reported by one and 
not by the other. Mark mentions the anointment of Christ 
before His death, while he makes no mention of His pre- 
sentation before Herod, etc. 

The further explanation of the wonders reported by Mark 
are not necessary, as it h shown that the principal commun- 
ications of Mark and Luke emanate from the same source- 
In all .probability they wrote from the same memoranda, 
the few alterations noticeable being probably the result of 
an agreement to lessen the unavoidable similarity as much 
as possible by adopting different style of composition. 

In regard to the resurrection, Mark is more indefinite 
than Luke even, and only gives a vague representation of this 
last glorification. Tins does not inspire much confidence 
of its actuality on account of the superficial, incoherent and 
jndefinite character of the report, and seems rather to indi- 
cate that Mark knew but little whereof he wrote. 



THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW. 



About this evangelist, who he was, where he lived, and 
What iiis occupation was, we know nothing. The name is 
mentioned as being one of Christ's followers, who according 
to his own account is said to have been a Publican, Chap, ix 
verse 9. '' And as Resits passed forth from Ihence He saw a 
man named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom, and 
He said unto kirn follow Me, and he arose and followed 
Him" Mark and Luke call this man Levi. See Mark, 
Chap, ii verse 14; Luke, Chap* v verse .27. 

The book of Matthew docs not give the slightest indica- 
tion of the presence of the author at the occurrences nar- 
rated. The conversation of Christ, at His first meeting with 
Matthew the Publican, is Written in such a way that it leads 
one to the conclusion that the disciple MattheW> if he ever 
existed at all, was not the same person who wrote this Gos- 
pel. Neither is the name of Matthew ever mentioned by 
either of the apostles Peter, John, James or Paul, so that if 
there was a disciple of Christ, of such a name, he must have 
been of no great fame or position in the Ghurch. 

The obvious incorrectness of what is stated to be the 
!L-euealogy of Christ, lias been discussed already in the chap- 
ter on Luke ; it is only again referred to here, to point to 
the mathematical computation of the descent of Christ, which 
obviously is calculated to prove his expected coming ages 
beforehand. 

Chap, i, verse 17, S-j all the generations from Abraham 



ITS The Gospel of Matthew. 

to David are fourteen generations / and from David until 
the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations / 
and from the carrytng away into Babylon unto Christ are 
fourteen generations. 

Beginning with occurrences which Luke narrates as 
having preceded the birth of Christ, we find that Matthew 
knows nothing of them ; he makes up for this, however, by 
giving more details of the actual birth, of Christ. In his 
statement of these, leaving the angelic appearance out of 
consideration, we note the foolish superstitions which he 
cherishes, the intimation of great events by signs in the 
heavens. Believing this, it is natural that he should say 
something of the signs which betokened so important an 
event as the birth of a Messiah. Certain wise men in the 
East (wherever that may be) observe an extraordinary star; 
they find that it moves ; they become aware of its object, 
namely, that it is sent to lead them somewhere: so they 
follow it to Jerusalem. When it came to Bethlehem it 
stopped, and pointed to the spot where the birth of a Messiah 
had just then taken place. It is useless to attempt to dis- 
cuss this miracle. Do what we will, we can not imagine a 
star moving through the sky a couple of hundred feet before 
the noses of two or three pedestrians, and accommodating 
itself to their pace. It is one of those stories, of which 
there are many in the New Testament, easy to tell, but 
hard to explain. We leave this task to the faithful, who 
ridicule the miracles attributed to Mahomet, but with the 
same breath swear by the equally preposterous stories of 
Christianity. The suggestion that God had warned these 
wise men in a dream that they should not return by way of 
Jerusalem seems wholly unnecessary, and only stated from 
a wish to prove that the Almighty exerts a special influence 
over all earthly and ordinary matters. If we believe in such 
influence, does it not strike us as strange, that none of the 
Jews to whom this Messiah was sent, should have dreams 
about Him ; and that these wise men from a distant land, 
who were hardly concerned or interested in this event,. 



The Gospel of Matthew. 179 

should be the only persons permitted to know anything of it ? 

Then, in regard to the massacre of infants, which Mat- 
thew reports as having taken place at Bethlehem, in conse- 
quence of the birth of Christ coming to the knowledge of 
Herod, how is it no mention is made of such a horrible oc- 
currence by any other writer ? Luke, who had been in 
Jerusalem, makes no mention of it, and, after reading his 
gospel, can anyone suppose, that it was probably in his 
opinion too insignificant a thing to be remembered or re- 
corded ? Flavius Josephus, who is very detailed in his re- 
port of Herod and his doings, mentions nothing of this 
wholesale child murder, but on the contrary pictures Herod 
as a just and generous ruler. 

Neither can we see what could have induced Herod pout 
such a diabolical scheme into operation. At the birth of 
Christ he was then old, and could imagine no possible 
rivalry from the infant. In addition Herod was subor- 
dinate to the Emperor of Home, who would have condemned 
such an act of wilful cruelty and in all probability have 
punished its perpetrator. The story of Herod's cruelty can 
perhaps be traced back to the Old Testament. Matthew 
was probably acquainted with the historical facts that King 
Pharaoh ordered the execution of the male children of the 
Jewish slaves in Egypt — and not knowing its origin found- 
ed upon this Herod's bloodthirsty edict. 

It was believed that the Messiah would certainly make 
His appearance in Bethlehem and therefore these invented 
stories to contradict the general belief, that He came from 
Nazareth. 

The cited prophecy found at Micah, Chap, v, verse 2, is 
correctly copied at Chap, ii, verse 6. " But thou Bethlehem, 
Ephrata, though thou he little among the thousands of J udea y 
yet out of thee shall come unto Me, that is to be the ruler oj 
Israel / whose goings forth have been from old from ever- 
lasting." 

To justify the name by which He was generally known, 
Matthew ascribes .to a prophecy. 



ISO The Gospel of Matthew. 

Chap, ii, verse 23. And he came and dwelt in a city called 
Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled ichich was spoken by the 
Prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. 

This must be an invention of Matthew himself, as no such 
prophecy is to be found in the Old Scriptures, except those 
related to different occurrences. 

In regard to the remainder of Matthew's testimony, we 
adopt our former rule of comparing the different statements 
of the three authors, Matthew, Mark and Luke, and place 
them opposite each other, which gives us astounding results. 

{ Matt. in. 7 8 9 10 11 12 16 17 IV 1 2 3 4 5 

\ Mark. 

( Luke III. 7 8 8 9 10 17 21 22 IV. 12 3 4 9 

I Matt IV. 6 7 9 10 12 13 18 19 20 21 22 V. 15 18 29 30 

J Mark I. 14 — 16 17 18 19 20 IV. 21 — IX. 47 43 

( Luke IV. 11 12 6 8 — 31 V 10 — —XVI. 17 ■ 

( Matt. VI. 9 10 11 12 13 24 25 26 27 28 30 31 32 33 VII 2 5 

| Luke XI. 2 2 3 4 4 XVI. 13 XII. 22 24 25 27 28 29 30 31 VI. 38 42 

I Matt. VII. 9 10 11 24 26 VHI. 2 4 6 11 14 20 21 22 

J Mark I. 40 44 - -129 

| Luke XI. 11 12 13 VI 48 49 V 12 14 VII 2 XIII 28IV38IX 59 59 60 

( Matt. VIH. 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 32 33 34 IX. 2 3 
1 Mark IV. 37 38 39 — V. 1 6 12 13 14 17 H. 4 8 
( Luke VIII. 23 24 — 25 26 28 32 33 34 37 V. 18 — 

( Matt. IX. 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 16 17 
J Mark II. 9 10 11 12 14 15 19 17 18 19 21 22 
I Luke V. 23 24 25 26 27 — 30 31 33 34 36 37 

{ Matt IX 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 X. 12 14 V. 1 15 17 

\ Mark II 23 24 25 28 34 38 39 41 in. 14 17 VI. - 11 XLII. 9 
( Luke VIH. 41 44 43 — 48 51 52 — IX. 5 — 

( Matt. X. 26 35 XI, 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 16 18 19 

\ Mark IV. 22 — 

( Luke — XIV. 26 VII. 22 23 24 24 25 26 27 28 32 33 34 

I Matt XI. 21 22 23 25 27 XII. 1 2 3 4 10 13 14 15 

J Mark n. 23 24 25 26 HI. 1 5 6 7 

( Luke X. 13 14 15 21 22 VI. 1 2 3 4 6 

i Matt XII 24 25 26 27 29 31 32 47 48 XUI 3 4 5 6 

> Mark III 22 24 26 — 2,7 29 — in. 32 33 IV.. 2 4 5 6 

I Luke ' XL 15 XII. 10 VHI. 20 21 - 5 - - 6 

t Matt XIII. 7 8 9 10 11 13 20 21 22 23 31 32 33 

' Mark IV 7 8 9 10 11 12 16 17 18 20 31 32 — 

(Luke VIII. 7 8 9 10 13 14 15 XLII. 19 20 21 



The Gospel of Matthew. 18 L 

(Matt. XIIL 54 55 57 58 XIV. 2 346789 10 11 

< Mark VI. 2 3 4 5 14 - 18 22 23 24 26 27 28 
(Luke — IX. 7 

("Matt. XIV. 12 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 23 24 

< Mark VI. 29 32 34 35 37 38 39 42 44 45 46 47 
( Luke IX. 13 14 17 

( Matt, XIV. 25 26 27 32 34 35 36 XV. 2 3 4 5 7 

■^ Mark VI. 48 49 50 51 53 55 56 V1T. 5 9 10 11 6 

/ Luke 



C Matt. XV. 8 9 10 11 14 21 22 26 27 28 29 30 31 
1 Mark VII. 6 7 14 15 — 24 25 27 28 30 31 32 37 
( Luke VI. 39 

(Matt, XV. 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 XVI. 1 4 5 6 7 
-{MarkVm. 2 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 16 
(Luke — XI. 29 30 



(Matt. XVI. 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 20 21 22 23 24 25 
1 Mark VIII. 17 19 20 21 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 
(Luke IX, 18 19 20 23 24 



(Matt, XVI. 26 27 28 XVH. 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 9 10 11 12 
1 Mark VHI. 36 38 IX. 1 2 3 4 5 7 — 8 9 11 12 13 
(Luke IX. 25 26 27 28 29 30 33 35 36 



{ 



Matt. XVn. 14 15 17 19 XVITL 2 4 6 8 9 12 

Mark IX. 14 17 — 28 36 37 42 43 47 — 

Luke IX. — 39 41 — XVH. 2 XV. 4 



(Matt, XIX. 13568 13 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 

-J Mark X. 12 7 9 5 13 14 17 18 XVHI. 20 19 20 21 

t Luke XVHI. 15 — 18 19 20 — 21 22 

( Matt. XIX. 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 XX. 19 

1 Mark XVHT. 22 23 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 

( Luke XVHI. 23 — 25 26 27 28 — 29 — 33 

(Matt. XX. 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 34 
-< Mark X. 35 37 38 39 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 51 52^ 



Luke 



(Matt. XXI. 1 2 3 6 7 8 9 12 13 18 19 21 22 23 24 
■\ Mark XL 1 2 3 — 7 8 9 15 17 12 13 23 24 27 29 

(Luke XIX. 29 30 31 32 33 35 

( Matt, XXL 25 26 27 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 

'< Mark XL 31 32 33 XII. 123467899 10 

t Luke XIX. XX. 17 

( Matt. XXI, 44 46 XXII. 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 

-J Mark XI. XII. 13 14 15 — 16 17 — 18 19 20 22 

( Luke XX. 18 19 21 22 23 24 — 25 26 27 28 29 30 

(Matt. XXII. 27 28 29 30 32 42 44 45 XXHL 4 14 34 35 37 

\ Mark XII. 23 23 24 25 26 35 36 37 — 40 

(Luke XX 32 33 34 35 38 41 42 — 46 47 XI. 49 50 XIII 34 



182 



The Gospel of Matthew. 



( Matt. XXIV. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 

■I Mark XIII. 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 8 9 — 10 14 14 15 16 17 18 

( Luke XXI. 56788 17 21 23 — 

(Matt XXIV. 21 22 23 24 25 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 

< Mark XIII. 19 20 20 22 23 24 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 

(Luke XXI. 27 — 30 31 32 33 XXVII. — 26 27 



(Matt. XXIV. 
< Mark XIII. 
(Luke XH. 



45 46 47 48 50 XXVI. 

XIV. 

42 43 44 45 46 



7 8 9 10 11 12 13 

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 



XX. 



14 
10 

4 



(Matt. XXVI. 15 16 17 18 20 21 22 23 24 26 27 28 29 

-^Mark XIV. 11 12 12 14 17 18 19 20* 21 22 23 24 25 

(Luke XXII. 5 6 14 21 22 19 18 

(Matt. XXVI. 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 

-<Mark XIV. 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 37 38 39 40 

(Luke XXn. 34 41 42 

(Matt. XXVL 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 55 56 57 58 59 60 

1 Mark XIV. 41 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 52 53 54 55 57 

(Luke XXII. — 46 — 47 50 52 55 

(Matt. XXVI. 61 62 63 64 65 66 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 

< Mark XIV. 58 60 61 62 63 64 66 68 69 70 70 71 72 

(Luke XXII. 56 57 58 — 59 60 61 

(Matt, XXVH. 1 2 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 21 22 23 
1 Mark XV, 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 11 12 13 14 
(Luke XXIII. -1 3 18 — 22 

(Matt. XXVII. 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 37 38 39 40 
4 Mark XV. 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26 27 29 30 
(Luke XXIII. 26 38 33 



(Matt. XXVH. 
-! Mark XV. 
(Luke XXIII. 

( Matt. XXVH. 
\ Mark XV. 
/ Luke XXHI. 



41 42 44 45 46 47 48 50 51 54 55 56 
31 — 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 
— 35 — 45 46 — 47 49 — 



57 58 59 60 61 
43 44 46 46 47 
51 52 53 53 — 



XXVIH. 
XVI, 
XXIV. 



15 6 7 

16 6 7 
1 



A careful reading of these comparisons will show that 
Matthew's report is almost entirely the same as Mark's. 
There are a few incidents and expressions at the beginning 
which do not tally, but the similarity of the rest is remark- 
able. The two accounts vary, only in regard to the time and 
circumstances under which certain occurrences took place. 
The impossibility of for two writers to correspond in such a 
striking manner, without having consulted together or 



The Gospel of Matthew. 183 

copied from each other, cannot be denied, and the only ques- 
tion is as to who actually supplied the data for these works. 

The fact that Matthew has some reports which correspond 
with those of Luke, and which are not reported by Mark, 
tends to complicate the question. The comparison of the 
writings of Mark and Luke evidently show that these 
two consulted together or copied from the same origi- 
nal, and the same has undoubtedly been the case with 
Matthew and Mark. But since Matthew and Luke only 
agree in some details we must conclude that these two had 
no special consultation with each other as to what they 
should write, but that Mark, the pliable tool of Paul, was 
the principal author, and supplied the other two with the 
materials for their respective works. 

To strengthen the belief in the mysterious rumors about 
the life of Christ, Mark gathered the fables together — al- 
though cautioned by Paul to heed them — and delivered them 
to those interested in the promulgation of Christ's doctrine. 
Matthew and Luke added to this what they knew of 
themselves er had gathered in their travels. 

Luke's book, we notice, is not so full of incidents as that 
of Matthew or Mark, or possibly Mark made alterations 
and additions to his memoranda subsequently, and before 
supplying Matthew with it. 

In regard to Matthew's narrative of the Passion, which 
again widely differs from that of Luke, we must suppose 
that the latter, having been in Jerusalem, pretended to his 
own opinion. However, none of them relate the occurrence 
from personal observation. It is hardly worth while to 
discuss the miracles referred to by Matthew, most of them 
have been already discussed in our consideration of other 
parts of the gospels. We cannot, however, pass over some 
of those which originated with Matthew himself. 

Chap, xxvii, verse 51. And the earth did quake, awl the 
rocks rent i 

52. And the graves were opened ; and many hodies of the 
saints which slept arose, 



184 The Gospel of Matthew; 

53. And came out of the graves after His resurrection., 
and went into the holy city, and appeared unto- many. 

Such an earthquake would not easily be forgotten y so how 
is it that Mark and Luke never referred to- it? In connec- 
tion with this earthquake, Matthew says that saints came 
up out of their graves. W this were really so,, it was a more- 
wonderful resurrection than that of Christ, as these saints 
had been dead for years. But who were these saints, who* 
revealed of them, and what became of them afterwards? 

The following, too, has a tendency to excite one's sus- 
picion. 

Chap, xxvii, verse 63. Saying, Sir, we remember that that 
deceiver said, tohile he was yet alive, After three days Twill 
rise again. 

64. Command therefare that the sepidehre be ma<]e sure 
until the third day, lest His disciples come by night, and 
steal Him away, and say unto the peaple, He is risen from 
the dead : so- the last error shall be toorse than the first. 

How can it be that the Pharisees and priests should have 
remembered that which according to Luke w r as spoken to> 
his disciples in Galilee. 

This was only remembered by the disciples after Christ's- 
death. 

Luke, Chap- xxiv, verse 6. He is not here, but is risen ; re- 
member how He spake unto you when He was yet in Galilee. 

Terse 8. And they remembered His words. 

Then another great earthquake occurs,, but does not seem 
to have done much damage or achieved anything except 
assisting a poor weak angel to roll the stone from the se- 
pulchre. 

Chap, xxvii i, verse 2. And behold, there was a great 
earthquake /' for the angel of the Lord descended from heav- 
en, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and 
sat upon it. 

And how came it known that the chief priests had bribed 
the soldiers, as this was a secret understanding. 

Chap, xxviiij verse 11* Now when they ivere going, be- 



The Gospkl of Matthew. 1S5 

hold, some of the watch came into the city, arid showed unto 
the chief priests all the things that were done. 

12. And when they were assembled with the elders, and 
had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers. 

13. Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, rnd stole 
him away w h He ice slept. 

Verse 15. So they took the money, and did, as they were 
taught: and this saying is commonly -reported among the 
Jews until this day. 

The Jews apparently knew that the body was stolen and 
hid away, but accused the disciples of having done it, and 
this rnmor was set about. The disciples were conscious of 
their innocence and therefore believed the body had arisen. 

This, on the face of it, seems to be a reasonable proposi- 
tion. Mark and Luke appear to have known nothing about 
the securing of a guard, and this bribery of the soldiery. 
Matthew alone gives us not only the fable of the resurrec- 
tion, but plainly shows for what reason it was first dissem- 
inated, namely, to shield the stealing of Christ's body. 

In regard to the reappearance of Christ, a rumor naturally 
following the fable of His resurrection, Matthew is more 
explicit than Luke or Mark, but manages to tell a different 
story of this event. The former give the place of assump- 
tion as Jerusalem, lie states that the eleven disciples went 
straightway into Galilee, to a place where Christ had ap- 
pointed to meet them. Chap, xxviii, verse 16. "Then the 
eleven disciples went away into Galilee, unto a mountain 
where Jesus appointed themP 

How is it that these three evangelists differ so widely in 
their statements? Can the defenders of the Bible maintain 
that they were inspired by a divine spirit to write these 
things? Common human reason and intelligence can have 
but one answer to these questions ; that if it had been di- 
vinely inspired all the reports would have been in harmony 
nnd correct. 



THE GOSPEL OF JOHN. 



The Gospel of John is the most perplexing and mysterious 
communication regarding Christ that we have. If we en- 
tertained any doubt as to the statements of the former evan- 
gelists, based partly on the fact that they wrote not from 
their own knowledge or personal observation, we cannot 
doubt John for the same reason. From many expressions 
in his writings we must concede that John was the contem- 
porary and the disciple of Christ of that name. 

In this Gospel we notice at once the grand and lofty ex" 
pressions which charmed us in his epistles. He forms a 
marked contrast to Paul in every way. Paul was energetic, 
commanding, selfish, and entirely devoid of human love ; 
John was humble, good-natured, gentle, and highly imagin- 
ative. Such people seldom deliberate, they act upon im" 
pulse, which is influenced by present circumstances. They 
are of innocent nature, exempt from distrust or suspicion, 
and have no conception of the intrigues and deception prac- 
ticed by those around them. They are easily led to believe 
the most astonishing representations, because they rely upon 
those who have gained their confidence, instead of thinking 
for themselves. Such characters are often given to super- 
stition and religious fanaticisms. And of such was John. 

John was endowed with the sweet vanity peculiar to such 
natures, and fancied he was beloved by all who knew him. 
He believes that he was especially beloved by Christ, and 
therefore mentions it repeatedly. 



The Gospel of John. 187 

Chap, xiii, verse 23. Now there was leaning on Jesus' 
bosom one of Sis disciples, whom Jesus loved. 

25. He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, 
who is it f 

Chap, xix, verse 26. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, 
and the disciple standing by whom he loved, he saith unto 
his mother, Woman, behold thy son! 

Chap, xxi, verse 20. Then Peter turning about, seeth the 
disciple whom Jesus loved. 

The author wishes to state at this point that the foregoing 
idea of John's character is not purely imaginary"; compari- 
son of the character of John having been made with one of 
the author's own experience. The energetic and enlightened 
man will only believe that which he witnesses himself and 
what by his calculations and investigations he is convinced 
is the truth ; while the ignorant, unsubstantial, weak- 
minded class concede their belief to all things they cannot 
explain or contradict, and will rather accept the- most 
wonderful representations simply because the reality is in- 
comprehensible to them. Therefore, superstition enters 
into them, and chokes all energetic thought. 

It is to this peculiarity of character that' we ascribe the 
possibility of John's belief in the occurrences he reports to 
us. Most of them he must have gained from common 
rumor, but he speaks of them with a conviction based on 
personal observation. We cannot suppose that Christ chose 
His twelve disciples at the very commencement of His 
career. Some had most probably been with Him for some 
time ; others had accepted His teachings more recently. John 
was, according to evidence, one of the latter, and therefore 
could not have personally witnessed many of the earlier 
miracles he describes. 

Before we enter upon a discussion of "the gospel of St. 
John," however, let us consider .at what period it was 
written, considering the rest of the communications by the 
same author. We may presume that the Epistles were 
written first, because several essential doctrines of Christ to 



188 The Gospel of John. 

be found in the gospel are not noticed there. The absence 
of reference to the miracles of Christ may also be taken as 
additional proof of this. He had not then considered these 
rumored miracles. Afterwards, being induced by his own 
inspiration or by the persuasion of others, to write about, 
the life of Christ, he could not omit the fables concerning 
Him. The credibility to be attached to these have to he 
gnaged by the connecting circumstances. 

John, we have to bear in mind, was sincerely devoted to 
Christ, and believed Him to be the promised Messiah, the 
Son of God. Consequently everything which occurred to 
him in relation to Christ, was represented from this point 
of view. According to this theory the rumor that John the 
Baptist had revealed Christ, and prepared the way for Him, 
might have been considered probable. This could not be 
refuted by John the Baptist any way, as he was long since 
dead. 

John, Chap, i, verse 15. John bare witness of him, and 
cried, saying, This was he of whan 1 spale lie that cometh 
after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 

Chap i, verse 27. He it is, who coming after me, is prefer- 
red before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. 

John may well have preached the near approach of the 
Messiah, as this was the general belief among the Jews at 
all times, according to the Old Testament, and these pre- 
dictions were endeavored to be twisted in verification of 
Christ. John the Baptist, however, as proven before, had 
not recognized and believed in Christ the Messiah, although 
this is attributed to him. 

Chap, i, verse 33. And 1 knew him not: but he that sent 
me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon 
whom thou, shalt see the spirit descending, and remaining on 
him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 

Neither could he have recorded this : 

Chap, i, verse 34. And I saw, and bare record that this is 
the Son of God. 
because John continued to have his own disciples. 



The Gospel of John. 189 

Chap, iii, verse 25. Then there arose a question between 
*<<me of Johns disciples and the Jews about purifying.. 

Chap, iv, verse 1. When therefore the Lord knew how the 
1'harisees J tad heard that Jesus made and, baptized more di- 
*eiples than John. 

This special sect of John the Baptist's continued up to 
Pn ui's time, and even at that time were at variance with 
the followers of Christ, according to the statements of Paul 
and other evangelists. If John had recognized Christ, he 
wuuld have been an adherent of Him, and advised his fol- 
lowers that Christ was the Messiah whose advent he preached, 
ami there only salvation. But instead of this he continued 
lo promulgate the same doctrine as before Christ's appear- 
ance. 

Chap, iii, verse 26. And they came unto John, and said 
unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to 
whom tUou bearest witness, behold, the same baptizelh, and 
aU men come to him. 

27. John answered and said, A man can receive nothing 
except it is given himjrom heaven. 

Chap, iii, verse 30. He must increase but I must de^ 
crease. 

This is evidently a distortion of the teachings of John 
and the words '■• to whom thou bearest witness " have been 
inserted to make it more effectual. 

The recognition of Christ by John the Baptist as set forth 
even here, js too contradictory to be reliable. 

(map. i, verse 26, says: "John answered them saying 1 
bapjtize with water, but there standeth one among you, whom 
ye know not. He it is who coming after me, is preferred be 
fore me ! 

And on the very day following he is made to say. 

Chap i, verse 29. The next day John seeth Jesus coming 
unto him, and saith Behold the Lamb of God, which tafceth 
away the sin of the world! 

Verse 31. And I kneio Him not but that He should be mani 
jest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. 



190 The Gospel of John. 

32. And John bare record, saying, I saw the spirit descend- 
ing from heaven like a dove and it abode upon Him. 

33. And I Jc?ieio Him not. 

Yet all this former knowledge of Christ, personally or 
otherwise, is denied. Chap, i, verse 31. u And I knew Him 
not, but that He should be made manifest to Israel, therefore 
am I come baptizing with waterP Chap, i, verse 33. " And 
I knew Him not, but He that sent me to baptize with water, 
the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit 
descending and remaining on Him, the same is He which 
baptizeth with the Holy Ghost P 

This seems to indicate that there existed doubt as to 
whether John the Baptist had really recognized Christ as 
the Messiah, and explains the vacillating way in which 
John refers to the point. That the baptism of Christ by 
John the Baptist is not mentioned here may be a neglect of 
John, but in all probability was purposely omitted because 
it struck the writer that it would scarcely do well for Christ 
to be baptized by his inferior. On the contrary, John the 
Baptist, if he accepted Christ and His doctrines, should be 
baptized by Him. John, therefore, states this as an actual 
occurrence. Chap, iii, verse 23. " And John also was bap- 
tized iu Acenon, near to Salim, because there was much water 
there. And they came [among them John the Baptist] and 
were baptized" 

Consequently, on what occasion the Spirit descended 
upon Christ is hard to determine. 

The first disciples of Christ, according to John, were the 
two who left John the Baptist. Chap, i, verse 37. '" And 
the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus." 

One was Andrew, the name of the other is not mentioned. 

Chap, i, verse 40. One of the two which heard John 
speak, andfollovjed him, was Andrew, Simon Pettis brother. 

These two it must be kept in mind, did not follow Christ 
at the instigation of John the Baptist, but voluntarily left the 
latter upon hearing Christ speak. 

The next disciple mentioned is Simon Peter. 



The Gospel of Johx. 191 

Chap, i, verse 42. And he brought him to Jesus. And 
when Jesus beheld him, He said, Thou art Simon the Son 
of Jon a : thou shalt be called Cephas, which is, by interpre- 
tation, a stone. 

Then Philip and Nathaniel are mentioned. 

Chap, i, verse 1" 43. . The day following Jesus would 
go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto 
him, Follow me. 

Chap, i, verse 48. Nathaniel saith unto him, Whence 
hwwest thou me f Jesus answered and said unto him, Be- 
fore that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the jig 
tree, I saw thee, 

49. Xathaniel ansivered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou 
art the Son of God ; thou art the King of Israel. 

We cannot but consider these hasty conversions remark- 
able, especially that of Nathaniel, who was convinced at 
once that Christ was the Son of Glory and the King of 
Israel, simply because Christ told him that he noticed him 
sitting under the &g tree. Christ Himself, according to the 
story, believed this conversion to be based upon wonderfully 
small premises. 

Chap, i, verse 50. Jesus answered and said unto him, 
Because T said unto thee. T saw thee under the fig tree, 
believest thou f thou shalt see greater things than these. 

51. And He saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto 
you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of 
God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. 

In this promise Nathaniel seems to have been disappoint 
ed, for at no time, according to John, does he see angels 
descending upon Christ. 

In comparing John's report with the apparently corres- 
ponding parts of the other three evangelists, we at once 
observe how essentially he is at variance with them ; indeed, 
they are all at variance, and it is a puzzle to which there 
seems to be no solution, as to which reliance can be placed 
upon. However, we will not endeavor here to prove the 
improbability of their histories by citing the many contra- 



192 The Gospel oe Jontf. 

dictions of each other, but consider John's statement upon 
its own merits entirely. 

The first miracle he attributes to Christ is peculiar in its 
character and insignificant in its results. Ghrist, as it is 
alleged, was invited with His disciples to a marriage in Cana, 
where also His mother was present. Chap, ii, verse 1. 
'■ And the third day there was a marriage in Cana at Gali- 
lee, and the mother of Jesus was there." 

After the guests had feasted for some time, the supply of 
wine fell short. Now, although Jesus had but just eon> 
inenced His mission, and had not yet demonstrated that He 
was possessed of any specialty marvellous gifts; His mother 
knew of them. She was convinced that all power was in 
His hand, so when the wine run short, she had confidence 
Chat He could remedy the deficiency, and also, like a natur- 
ally good mother, was glad of this opportunity for Him to 
show off His wonderful powers. She therefore informs 
Jesus that there is no more wine, confident that He will at 
once furnish more as a matter of course. 

Chap, ii, verse 3. And when they wanted wine the mother 
of Jesus said unto Him : i hey have no wine. 

Jesus reproaches His mother with sharp words for her 
temptation, adding that His time to show these powers of 
which she knew, was not yet come. 

Chap, ii, verse 4. Jesus said unto her — woman what have 
I to do with thee f Mine hour ha^s not yet come. 

Ris mother, however, is confident that He will not take 
amiss what she has said, but will do this thing what she 
has asked, so she gives orders to the servant to do whatever 
Jesus shall suggest. . 

Verse 5, His mother said unto the servant, Whatever He 
saith unto you, do it. 

Jesus, it seems, could not resist the temptation, and or- 
dered the pots to he filled with water. 

Chap, ii, verse 7. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the 
water jpots with water. And they filled them up to the 
brim. 



The Gospel of John. 193 

There were six of these pots, which seems to have been 
of good size. 

Chap, ii, verse 6. And there were set there six water pots 
of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, con- 
taining tioo or three firkins a jpiece. 

Then this water, probably by means of prayers, was 
turned into wine. 

Chap, ii, verse 9, When the ruler of the feast had tasted 
the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was, 
(but the servants which drew the water knew,) the governor 
of the feast called the bridegroom. 

Xow the feasting and debauchery could be continued. 

This was the miracle with which Christ inaugurated 
His mission. If any credit could be attached to the story, 
we should say that Christ had no experience as yet of the 
character of His mission, and availed Himself of this op- 
portunity to try what manner of tricks He could play when 
" iiis hour" was come. 

We can hardly believe, however, that Christ would be 
guilty of such an imprudence as this miracle shows. It would 
have been a gross error to have sought the glorification of 
Himself and His God in a society of wine-flushed merry- 
makers, and it would no doubt have effected a very different- 
purpose from that which, according to John, was intended. 

Chap, ii, verse 11. This beginning of miracles did Jesus 
in Cana of Galilee, and man ifested forth His glory, and 
His disciples believed on Him. 

No, if we entertain any reverence at all for Christ's char- 
acter, we cannot believe that this really happened. It is 
either a fabrication on the part of John, or one of the many 
idle rumors about Christ, which to suit some purpose he 
adopted for his book. 

Christ by all accounts rapidly acquired a notoriety, and 
became Himself convinced of His divine mission and au- 
thority. He takes upon Himself to redress a grievance of 
the religious Jews, namely, the selling and buying daily 
carried on within the sacred precincts of the temple. 



194 Thk Gospel of John. 

Chap, ii, verse 15. And when He had made a scourge 
of small cords, Be drove them all out of the temple, and the 
sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' 1 money, 
and overthrew the tables. When asked what show of au- 
thority He had for this action, He delivered Himself, ac- 
cording to John, of a very meaningless piece of bombast. 
Chap, iii, verse 18. Then answered the Jews and said 
unto Him : What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that 
thou doest these things. Jesus answered, and said unto 
them, des'roy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." 
This u sijjn " bv no means satisfied the Jews; it was a 
riddle they were unable to understand. Chap, ii, verse 20. 
l - Then said the Jews, forty and six years was this temple 
in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days." 
Christ, in reply, spoke of a sign to come after some years, 
which would justify His present authority, and the Jews 
had only to wait for this. The imaginative John, however, 
believes that Christ did not answer the question of the Jews, 
but spoke only of the temple — whatever that may- be — of 
His own body. Chap, ii, verse 21. "But He spake of the 
temple of His body." The disciples remembered, or pro- 
fessed to remember, this saying of Christ about building 
the temple in three days, and applied it to the resurrection 
as a proof of the fulfillment of His own saying. 

Chap, ii, verse 22. When, therefore, he was risen from the 
dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this unto 
them, and they believed the /Scriptures and the word which 
Jesus had said. 

Even if it be true that Jesus did make such a vain glori- 
ous and bombastic remark, there is nothing to show 7 that he 
intended a double meaning, and the construction here 
placed, upon it was not thought of until after His death. 
The purpose of placing such a construction upon these 
words is obvious. This, and other ingenious efforts to make 
the Scriptures tally with the time Christ was in the grave, 
however, have one defect. They clo not agree as to time, 
for Christ being laid in the grave Friday night, and risen 



The Gospel of John. 195 

or carried away early Sunday morning, was only in the 
sepulchre two nights and one day, instead of the alleged 
prophetic three days. 

After astonishing the dealers in the Temple, Christ con- 
tinued performing miracles, on account of which we read, 
many believed on Him. Chap, ii, verse 23. " JSfow, when 
lie was in Jerusalem,, at the Passover, in the first day, 
many believed on His name, when they saw the miracles 
which He did" 

This seems to indicate that miracles were a very 
common performance, and that they were so numer- 
ous, it is not worth while to allude to them in detail. 
But the following statement is a direct contradiction of 
this assumption. 

Chap, iv, verse 46. So Jesus came again into Cana of 
Galilee, where He made the water wine. And there was a 
certain nobleman, whose son was sick at 'Capernaum. 

Chap, iv, verse 53. So the father knew that it wis at the 
same hour in which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth ; 
and himself believed, and his whole house. 

5 1. This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when 
He ivas come out of Judea into Galilee. 

It is clearly shown in the previous verse that after turning 
the water into wine, He worked no other miracles until 
that time when the second miracle was performed, and 
shows how little John's statements are to be relied upon, in 
a general way. 

The little story about Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, 
coming to Jesus at night-time, for the sake of having a 
conversation with Him, is of no importance, ajid may or 
may not be true. Probably the man had heard much of 
Christ, and wished to see and hear Him, but for fear of losing 
his official position, did not care to be seen conversing with 
Christ, and came by night. There is nothing wonderful in 
this, nor in the conversation which is supposed to have taken 
place between the two, but which occurrence may have 
been remembered. 



196 The Gospel of John. 

The same may be said of the utterances of John the 
Baptist, which this disciple reports. 

Chap, iii, verse 29. He that hath the bride is the bride- 
groom : but the friend of the bridegroom, which standtth 
and heareih him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bride- 
groom's voice. This my joy therefore is fulfilled. 

30. He must increase, but I mast decrease, and so on. 

Leaving out of consideration the equivocal expressions 
and position in which John the Baptist is placed by these 
speeches, it is difficult, however, to explain how John the 
Evangelist, if he had been the steady companion of Christ, 
came to the knowledge of the exact utterances of John the 
Baptist, and was able to report them with such exactness. 
The same may be said of the following : 

Chap, iii, verse 25. 1" Then there arose a question between 
some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. 

26. And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi 
He that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest 
witness, behold the same baptizeth, and ail men come to 
him. 

But this whole paragraph is faulty in construction. It 
maintains that John has his own disciples, who followed 
him in his wanderings beyond the Jordan, although they 
professed that he bore witness to Christ. If we omit the 
words, " To whom thou bearest witness,'' the paragraph 
would be more comprehensible, and we may suggest that 
this was inserted to assert John's alliance to Christ. 

The incident with the Samaritan woman is almost ridicu. 
lous- Chap, iv, verse 7. " There cometh a woman of 
SamariaHo draw water" and while His disciples are absent, 
Christ talked with her. Chap, iv, verse 8. " For the dis- 
ciples were gone away to the city to buy meat" Chap, iv 
verse 27. "1~ And upon this came His disciples, and mar- 
velled that He talked with the woman : yet no man said, 
What seekest Thou? or, Why talJcest Thou with her ?" 

How the conversation Christ had with the woman, came 
to the knowledge of the disciples is not very clear, unless 



The Gospkl of John. 197 

they obtained it from the woman herself, for it is not likely 
that Christ would boast of it to them. 

Singular, however, it must appear that this woman at 
once considered Him to be a prophet, simply because He 
had told her some incidents of her life, which could surely 
have been no secret in the place she lived. Chap, iv, 
verse 18. For thou hast had five husbands, and he 
whom thou now hast is not thy husband / in that say est thou 
truly. The woman said unto him, Sir, I perceive that 
Thou art a ; ropheV 

As to the conversation itself, all that Christ had told her 
might have been generally known, and she was only sur- 
prised that one she had not seen before, and who presumably 
did not belong to the city should know these things, though 
He might have been there before. 

In telling the story she would naturally exaggerate certain 
parts in order to express her wonder. The sequence is there 
fore not altogether surprising. Chap, iv, verse 39. ''And 
many of the Samtrit ins of th'it city believed on him, for 
the saying of the woman which testified : He told me all that 
ever I didP We may presume there must' have been many 
secret things in her life beside those which Christ spoke to 
her about. 

When Christ had remained two days with the Samari- 
tans, although He worked no miracles, they believed from hir 
teachings alone that He was indeed the Messiah. In every 
other place miracles were essential to conversion; in this 
case it was in spite of His demonstration to the woman, upon 
which they evidently placed little faith anyhow. 

Chap, iv, verse 42. And said unto the woman, Now we be- 
lieve, not because of thy saying ; for we have heard Him 
ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Sav- 
iour of the world. 

Evidently the Samaritans were even more simple and 
credulous than the people Christ usually addressed, for there 
seems to be no real cause for their sudden conversion. The 
past life of the woman, as told by Christ, finds a corollary 



198 The Gospel of John. 

in the present day in what is called clairvoyance. There are 
thousands of impostors who profess to have the power of 
describing past, and even future events in one's life, and 
thousands of people believe in their pow r ers. So that if we 
accept Christ upon such an alleged miraculous demonstra- 
tion as this, we place ourselves upon a level witli those whose 
foolish credulity supports the clairvoyant and spiritualistic 
impostors of to-day. Such stories as these rather detract 
from the veracity of the Gospel than add to the glory of 
Christ. 

Jlie story of the miracle performed upon the son of a 
nobleman Chap, iv, verse 51. And as he was now going 
down, las servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son 
liveth. 

52. Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to 
amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh 
hour the fever left him, has little foundation in fact. 

There is no evidence that the disciples ever saw this son, 
either before or after his convalescence, and none could have 
witnessed the intercourse of the nobleman with his servants 
or heard his words. To tell such fables is easy ; they may- 
be interesting reading ; but to elevate them into matters for 
divine adoration is childish. 

The miracle performed upon the man with infirmities for 
thirty-eight years, at the pool of Bethesda, has something 
more remarkable about it. This, if it ever occurred, might 
have been witnessed by the disciples. But that an angel should 
come down from heaven once in a while, in order to "trouble" 
the water, is an old time fable. Chap, v, verse 4. ^ For an 
angel went down at certain seasons into the pool and troubled 
the water ; whosoever then first after the tro tolling stepped in, 
was made whole of whatsoever disease heJiad." Th is.be lief 
may have existed among the ignorant. If such occurrences 
did take place, then miracles were common, and no special 
importance can be attached to those worked by Christ. 
Many of them, indeed, are trifling, compared to an angel 
descending direct from heaven. 



The Gospel of John. 191) 

If there was such a pool of Bethesda, where a multitude 
of superstitions cripples arid sick people were waiting for 
the angel to trouble the water, in order that they might 
jump in and be cured, why should Christ have selected this 
one man for a demonstration of His power, and cruelly ig- 
nore the other sufferers. 

Chap, v, verse 3. In these lay a great multitude of im- 
potent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving 
of the water. 

Why should Christ have shown this very partial benevo- 
lence ? This one man was justified to no more special con- 
sideration than any of the rest ; because none of them knew 
anything of Him. 

And, while wandering among the sick multitude at the 
head of His disciples, He seems to have excited no curiosity 
or comment on account of this occurrence. 

Chap, v, verse 11. He answered them, he that made me 
whole, the same said unto me, take up thy hed and walk. 

12. Then asked they Mm, What man is that which said 
unto thee, Take up thy hed, and walk? 

13. And he thai tvas healed wist not who it was ; for Je- 
sus had conveyed himself away, a multitude b-'ing in that 
place. 

Then again lie knew it was Jesus. Chap, v, verse 15. 
"'The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus 
which had made him whole" All at once they tried to 
kill Jesus. Yerse 16. u And therefore did the Jews perse- 
cute Jesus, and sought to slay Him, because he had done these 
things on the Sabbath day." 

Surely the speaking of those few words, "Take up thy bed 
and walk," and the doing of such a benevolent action, could 
not have aroused the anger of these pious Jews. A short 
time before, too, Christ had driven the money-changers from 
the Temple, and they then recognized His authority; why 
not here? 

Surely they could not so soon have forgotten that incident. 
Neither could they have acted out of malice toward Christ, 



200 4 The Gospel of John. 

as they apparently did not know Him, and the occurrence 
itself could not have afforded sufficient cause. 

Two remarkable incidents connected with this story could 
not fail to excite our attention. It ninst seem peculiar that 
this man who was suddenly healed after many years of suf- 
fering, neither gave thanks or entertained any gratitude for 
his relief. He goes off without even inquiring who cured 
him, and the conversations are reported which the man had 
with the Jews after he had departed. 

We may judge that great pains were taken to represent 
this miracle, but the whole account is too indefinite and 
confused to be accepted, and seems to have been reported 
from mere rumor rather than by an eye-witness. 

In the next chapter it -is stated with emphasis that Christ 
worked numbers of miracles. 

Chap, vi, verse 2. And a great multitude followed Him , 
because they saw Ills miracles which He did on them that 
were diseased. 

It is strange, however, that John refers to them only in 
general, while in some few mysterious cases the details are 
carefully given. This seems to indicate that the rumors of 
Christ's miracles were without end, but that in only a few 
eases could anything approaching real facts be obtained. 

The miracle of feeding the multitude is one of the few 
miracles reported also, in much the same words by the 
other evangelists. 

Chap, vi, verse 7. Philip answered Hiw y Two hundred 
penny-worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every 
one of them may take a little. 

This miracle we have discussed before, but we cannot 
refrain from drawing attention here to the superficial way 
in which this marvellous occurrence is related, Christ 
observes a great company coming unto Him, and at once 
suggests the difficulty of feeding them. There is evidently 
attached more importance to the working of this miracle 
than to the object of the multitude in coming there. 

The teachings of Christ, which we would expect to be the 



The Gospel of John. 201 

principle feature of such a gathering, are not alluded to at 
all. The special object of the story, at all events, seems to 
be to place on record a miracle. 

The next miracle, that of Christ's walking on the sea, is 
an imaginary incident, which John has not told in the clear- 
est possible maimer. 

Chap, vi, verse 17. And entered into a ship, and went 
over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and 
Jesus was not come to them. 

This, it is alleged, was witnessed by a multitude. 

Chap, vi, verse 22. , The day following, when the people 
which stood on the oth<r side of the sea saw that there was 
none other boat there, save that one wliereinto His disciples 
were entered, and that Jesus went not with His disciples into 
the boat, but that His disciples were gone away alone. 

Christ Himself had gone into the mountains. 

Chap, vi, verse 15. When Jesus therefore perceived that 
they would come and take Him by force, to maJce Him a 
king, He departed again into a mountain, Himself alone. 

How He managed to escape from the multitude that 
wished to make Him a king is not stated. This must be 
one of the miracles which John has omitted to reveal as 
such. 

The next day people came from Tiberia, a distant place 
to see Christ, and notwitstanding that it was known He had 
gone into the mountains, and surely could not be expected 
to be on the other side of the sea, seeing there were no 
boats to convey Him ; nevertheless they went over to find 
Him. 

Chap., vi, verse 24. When the people therefore saw that 
Jesus was not there, neither His dlseiples, they also took 
shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. 

But how could they go there seeking for Christ when 
they had definite knowledge that He was in another place ? 
Probably they were moved by miraculous inspiration. 

One of the most conflicting elements in the story is the 
various points from which the occurrence is described ; it 



202 The Gospel of John. 

seems as though the narrator must have been omnipresent. 
For instance, he is at first owe of the disciples in the boat, 
and describes the scene from that point. 

Chap, vi, verse 19. So when they had rowed about five 
and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the 
sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship : and they were a/raid. 

20. But He saith tmto them, It is I; be not afraid. 

Two or three verses further on He seems to have got back 
to shore, and to be reporting it from that standpoint. 

(Jliap. vi, verse 22. The day following when the people 
which stood on the other side of the sea, saw there was no 
other boat there, save the one whereinto His disciples were 
entered, and that Jesus went not with His disciples into the 
boat, but that His disciples were gone away alone. 

Again, lie relates what occurred to those who came from 
Tiberias, from another point of view. 

Chap, vi, verse 23. Howbeit there came other boats from 
Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, afte'r 
that the Lord had given thanks. 

24. When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not 
there, neither His disciples, they also took to shipping. 

His further association with Christ, and what occurred to 
them on the other side, is entirely left out of considera- 
tion. 

If such an occurrence is reported be one, who had really 
been present in the boat, we should expect him to write of 
what might possibly come under his own observation, we 
would expect him to relate how they started, how Christ 
appeared to them, and how surprised the people, on the 
other side were, to see Christ. But this long story of what 
the narrator could not possibly have seen, unless He could 
be in more than one place at a time, is confuse and 
ridiculous. 

In the miracle of the blind man recovering his sight, 
the most important evidence is the conversation between 
the man and his parents, and the Jews and Pharisees 
all outside occurrences. 



The Gospel of John. 203 

Chap, ix, verse 1. And as Jesus passed by He saw a man 
who was blind from his birth. 

8. The neighbors therefore, and they which before had 
seen him that he icas blind, said, Is not this he that sat and 
begged ? . 

9. Some said, This is he : others said, He is like Him : 
but he said, I am he. 

10. Titer e fore said they unto him. How were thine eyes 
opened ? 

11. He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus 
made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to 
the pool of Siloam, and wash : and I went and toashed, and 
I received sight. 

12. Then said they unto him, 'Where is he f He said, I 
know not. 

13. They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was 
blind. 

14. And it was the Sabbath day vihen Jesus made the 
clay, and opened his eyes. 

15. Then again the Pharisees also asked Jnm how he had 
received his sight. He said vnto them, He put clay upon 
'mine eyes, and I icashed, and do see. 

16. Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is 
not of God, because hekeepeth not the Sabbath day. Others 
said, Hovj can a man that is a sinner do such miracles f 
And there teas a division among them. 

17. They say unto the bli?id man again, What sayest thou 
of him, that lie hath opened thine eyes ? He said, He is a 
prophet. 

18. But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he 
had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the 
2?arents of him thai had received his sight. 

19. And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who 
ye say vkis born, blind ? how then doth he now see ? 

20. His parents answered them and said, We know that 
this is our son, and that he was born blind : 



204: The Gospel of John. 

21. But by what means he now seeth, W3 know not ; or 
toko hath opened his eyes we know not : he is of age ; ask 
him : he shall speak for himself. 

22. These words spake his parents, because they feared 
the Jews ; for the Jews had agreed already, that if* any man 
did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the 
synagogue. 

23. Therefore said his parents, He is of age ; ask him. 

24. Then again called they the man that was blind, and 
said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man 
is a sinner. 

25. He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or 
no, I know not ; one thing I know, that, whereas I was 
blind, noio I see. 

26. Then said they to him again, What did he to thee f 
how opened he thine eyes f 

27. He answered them, 1 have told you already, and ye 
did not hear ; wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye 
also be his disciples f 

28. Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art His disci- 
ple j but we are Moses 9 disciples. 

29. We know that God spake unto Moses ; as for this fel- 
low, we know not from whence He is. 

30. The man answered and said unto them, Why, herein 
is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence He is, 
and, yet He hath opened mine eyes. 

31. Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if 
any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth His will, him 
he heareth. 

32. Since the world began was it not heard that any man 
opened the eyes of one that was born blind. 

38. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. 

34. They answered and said unto him, Thou wast al- 
together born in sins, and dost thou teach us f And they 
cast him out. 

The cured man knew that the name of the person through 



The Gospel of John, 205 

whom he had recovered was Jesus, but he did not know 
who or where He was, and had not even thanked Him, 

Chap, ix, verse 11. He answered and said, A man that 
is colled Jesus made clay, an>{ anointed mine eyes, and said 
unto me, Go to the pool of Si'oam, omd wash : and I went 
and washed, and I received sight. 

12. Then said they unto him, Where is he f He said, I 
know not. 

When He w T as put out of the temple, Jesus, Himself, took 
pains to find him, and confessed to him who He was, 
and the man acknowledged and worshipped Him. 

Chap, ix, verse 35. Jesus heard that they had cast him 
out j and when lie had found him, he said unto him, Host 
thou belie ce on the Son of God f 

36. He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might 
helieve on him f 

37. And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast loth seen him, 
tmd it is he that talketh with thee. 

38. And he said, Lord, L believe. And he worshipped 
him. 

His parents knew exactly who Christ was, and what was 
thought of Him, but they refused to speak of it, for fear of 
the anger of the Jews. 

Chap, ix,verse 22. These words spake his parents, because 
they feared the Jews : for the Jews had agreed already, that 
if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put 
out <f the synagogue. 

Then again the Jews profess to have no knowledge of 
Christ. 

Chap, ix, verse 29. We know that God spake unto Moses / 
as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. 

From a previous avowal, however, it appears that the 
cured man did know Christ, and that he wondered why the 
Jews did not know Him. 

Chap, ix, verse 27. He ansvjered tltem, I have told you al- 
ready, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it 
' again f will ye also be his disciples f 



206 • The Gospel of John. 

30. The man answered and said %u do them, Why herein 
is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, 
and yet he hath opened mine eyes. 

Also, the Pharisees must have known Christ, as they 
accuse Him of being a sinner. 

Chap, ix, verse 24. Then again called, they the man that 
was blind, and said unto him, give God the praise: we 
know that this man is a sinner. 

The whole account is so confused and contradictory that 
it seems useless to endeavor to explain it, and we are fain 
to follow the advice of Paul in regard to it, and heed not 
u these old wives' fables." 

Now with regard to the raising of Lazarus from the 
dead. The first thought that strikes one is that such a 
marvellous performance as this, could have escaped the 
notice of others, who essayed to chronicle Christ's wondrous 
doings. Paul, not only makes no mention of it, but ex- 
presses an emphatic opinion that there never was and never 
could be such a thing as bodily resurrection. 

We wonder, too, if this was the linal resurrection of 
Lazarus, and whether after this he disappeared in some 
wondrous way, as Christ did after Llis resurrection; or 
whether he existed for some time after, as an ordinary 
mortal, and then died again. Assuming that Christ did 
raise him, what the great purpose of such an act? It rep- 
resents to have been the result of a mere whim on Christ's 
part, actuated by purely personal feeling. We cannot 
suppose that he found such tricks necessary to the establish- 
ment of His reputation as a divine ; nor can we believe, if 
we believe in Christ as a God, that an Infallible Being 
would upset nature's laws, without a purpose — as is the 
case here. 

The proceedings at the house of Lazarus must, be accepted 
as purely imaginary, as none of the disciples could have 
been present according to John's showing, to make record of 
them* 

Chap, xi, verse 28. And, when she had w said, she went 



The Gospel of John. 207 

her way, and called Mary her sister secretly saying, the 
Master is come and callethfor thee. 

29. As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came 
unto Kim. 

30. Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in 
that place where Martha met him. 

31. The Jews then which were with, her in the house, and 
comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily 
and went out, followed her saying, she goeth unto the grave 
to weep there. 

This is very minute indeed, considering the circumstances 
before mentioned, and John to crown his audacious im- 
aginings of the scene, refers to an indefinite public as the 
witnesses. 

Chap, xii, verse 17. The people therefore that was with 
him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised 
Jam from the dead, bare record. 

Tins proves that John was not a witness of the miracle, 
as he refers to the record of others. 

To confirm the actions of Christ showing them to have 
been in accordance with God's will, a special miracle was 
deemed necessary, and this occurred in a vague manner. 

Chap, xii, verse 28. Fvther, glorify thy name. Then 
came there a voice from heaven, 1 have both glorified it, and 
will glorify it again. 

The people who stood near by, and to whose ears this 
was particularly addressed, failed to catch the words or the 
alleged reply. 

Chap, xii, verse 29. The people therefore that stood by, 
and heard it, said that it thundered : others said, An angel 
spake to him. 

This may have been a' real occurrence to some extent. 
Christ may have imagined that the occasional thunder was 
a direct answer to His prayer, and may have in all good 
faith communicated this idea to His followers. Some of the 
bystanders, however, did not believe it, but considered the 
sound was that of thunder simply. 



208 The Gospel of John. 

Of the seven miracles reported by John only two are 
similar in import to some of those reported by other evan- 
gelists. The seven are — The transformation of water into 
wine, the cure of the nobleman's son from a fever, the cure 
of the infirm man by the pool of Bethesda, the feeding of 
five thousand people, Christ walking on the sea, the blind 
man restored to sight, and the raising of Lazarus from the 
dead. The two which are to an extent corroborated by the 
other evangelists are — the cnre of the nobleman's son, and 
the feeding of five thousand people. 

With this exception the whole gospel differs from any of 
the others. The parables, and even the doctrines differ in 
so many essential points from those recorded by the other 
apostles, that it is impossible to trace them to the same 
origin. John's gospel in this respect may be said to possess 
more originality than any of the other three, but for the 
most of his statements there appears to be just as little real 
foundation. 

And now we have something to say in regard to the 
doctrines John promulgates, many of which it is impossible 
to believe were revealed to him by Christ — as he would 
wish us to infer, but were exaggerated ideas of John. 
Nevertheless Christ possibly believed, especially in the later 
stage of His activity, that He was a great prophet, or even 
the Son of God, and His teachings were in conformity with 
such imagined dignity. Some credulous people may also 
have conceded to this assumption, but others again, who were 
formerly adherents to His new doctrines, left Him when he 
made, or there was made for him, the lofty pretension to 
divinity. 

Chap, vi, verse 66. From that time many of his disciples 
went back, and walked no more with him. 

It was noticed that the desertion from His ranks . was so 
great that even Christ viewed with alarm this decrease of 
His popularity. 

Chap, vi, verse 67. Then said Jesus unto the twelve. Will 
ye also go away f 



The Gospel of Johx. 209 

6$. Then Simon Peter answered him-, Lord, to whom 
•shall we go f thou hast the words of eternal life. 

This answer does not prove that Christ was the divinity 
they would have us suppose, but simply that Peter was one 
of the few who believed in Ilim. 

We have still stronger evidence for a disinclination to 
believe in Jesus as the Christ in the conduct of his brothers. 

Chap* viii, verse 5. For neither did his brethren believe 
in him. 

We may presume that His brothers would know Rim 
better than anybody else ; and if there had been the slight- 
est reason for such assumption of divinity, they would have 
been the first to recognize it. On the contrary, they ap- 
peared to Him slighted, both Him and His pretensions. 

Chap, vii, verse 3. Sis brethren therefore said unto him, 
Depart hence, and go into Judea, that thy disciples also may 
see the works that thou doeth. 

If they had seen any miraculous works performed by 
Him, they would surely have been among his most ardent 
followers ; and if Jesus really had all power in Him, His first 
duty and His natural inclination would be to save from 
eternal damnation His own relatives. 

The doctrines attributed to Christ by John are of a most 
singular character. They are all bearing upon the glorinca- 
tion and personal elevation of Christ Himself. The most 
fanatical theories are set forth to secure an unconditional ac- 
ceptance of Him and His divine mission. 

Chap, iii, verse 18. He that believeth on him is not con-, 
dtmned / but he that believdh not is condemned already, be- 
cause he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten 
Sou of God. 

Chap, vi, verse 51. / am the living bread which came 
down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall 
live for ever : and the bread that I will give, is My flesh, 
which I will give for the life of the world. 

52. The Jews therefor9 strove among themselves, saying — 
How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 



210 The Gospel of John. 

Chap, iv, verse 55. For My flesh is meat indeed, and My 
blood is drink indeed. 

56. He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, 
dwelleth in Me, and I in him. 

These are incongruous doctrines and seem to admit of so 
many explanations, that it is needless to add to them. "We 
might ask why should gospel truths be promulgated in the 
form of conundrums to be guessed at ? And there leave it. 

Then this gospel insinuates into one's mind that Christ se- 
lected as His own betrayer one of His own disciples. Chap, vi, 
verse 71. u He spoke of Judas Iscariot y the Son of Simons 
for he it was who should betray Him, being one of the twelve." 
Christ must have known this at the time He selected Jnda, 
as one of the twelve ; if so, Christ was an accessory to the 
treason of Judas, and was even more to blame than Judas 
iiimself. To be bosom friend with a man until you know his 
weakness, and then to deliberately set the temptation of so 
horrible a crime in his path, is the act of a fiend. But it 
has a worse look in this case, if we believe the whole trans- 
action as the Bible records it. Christ knew long .before that 
Judas would do this detestable thing, and yet treated the 
cowardly traitor with every show of esteem and brotherly 
love ; nay, further, we are to believe that Christ predestined 
him from the beginning ro play this revolting part and to 
have the contumely of centuries heaped upon his name. 
Does such evidence in any way support Christ's claims to 
divinity? Is there even anything manly in such conduct? 
However, this point has been discussed before. 

That Christ was not altogei her free in His wanderings, but 
had often to journey alone and in secresy, is shown by the 
following : 

Chap, vii, verse 3. His brethren therefore said unto him 
Depart hence and go into Judea, that' thy disciples also may 
see the works that thou doest. 

Chap, vii, verse 10. But token his brethren were gone up, 
then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were 
in secret. 



The Gospel of John. 211 

And that He was compelled to wander secretly and alone 
shows that the apostles were not always in the company of 
Christ, as it is supposed, and could not therefore record all 
His proceedings with the details John garnishes his reports 
withal. 

The anointment of Christ by Mary may have been a real 
occurrence, inasmuch as Christ had many devoted followers, 
and also because it was an old Jewish custom as a sign of 
devotion. 

Chap, xii, verse 3. Then took Mary a pound of ointment 
of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, 
and wiped His feet with her hair • and the house was filled 
with the odor of the ointment. 

Judas protested against the waste of such costly oil. 

Chap, xii, verse 4. Then saith one of His olisciples, Ju- 
das Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray Him, 

5. Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred 
pence, and given to the poor? 

All this, as well as Christ's rebuke of his suggestion, 

Verse 7. Then said Jesus, Let her alone : against the day 
of My burying hath she kept this. 

8. For the 'poor always ye have with you : but Me ye have 
not always. 

may be strictly in accordance with the facts. Judas liked 
to get hold of money, as it was for this that he betrayed 
Christ. 

The entrance of Christ into Jerusalem, riding on a young 
ass, and being hailed by a large crowd, as The Prince of 
Peace, may also be true. This statement we find corrobor- 
ated by the other evangelists, and it may have been a well 
known fact. 

Chap, xii, verse 13. Took branches of palm trees, and 
went forth to meet Him, and cried: Hosanna: Blessed is 
the King of Israel that comet h in the name of the Lord. 

14. And Jesus, when He had found a young ass, sat 
thereon : as it is written. 

Also, John claimed that this was prophesied in the Old 



212 The Gospel of John. 

Scripture, and its fulfillment was accepted as a proof 
that Jesus was really the promised Messiah. 

Chap, xii, verse 15 (and Zachariah, Chap, ix, verse 9.) 
Fear not, daughter of Sion : behold, thy King cometh, sit- 
ting on an ass's colt. 

There seems to be no doubt, therefore, that Christ rode 
into Jerusalem in this manner in consequence of the proph- 
ecy, and in order that it might be fulfiled. The adopting of 
such a character by Christ, and in so public a manner 
increased the smouldering hate of the Scribes and Pharisees 
against this fanatic, who preached against Moses and 
the Prophets, and this may have hurried the climax and 
the tragic finale of His career. The offer of the sordid 
Judas to deliver Christ into their hands, for a price, came 
at an opportune moment, and they readily embraced it. 
Judas knew the habits of Christ and of the disciple3, and was 
therefore able to accomplish this, by no means easy task, on 
account of his increased popularity. Judas carried out his 
bargain, as we know, by a careful plan, and Christ was cap- 
tured in the darkness of night, and the lonely solitude of 
Gethsemane. After this the ardent devotion of the disci- 
ples to Christ increased. John, who was probably present 
at the Last Supper, developed into a Christain of the most 
fanatical type after witnessing the persecution to which 
leader was subjected, which is proved by his sincere ex- 
pressions. 

Chap, xiii, verse 23. Now there was leaning on Jesus 
bosom, one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. 

Chap, xix, verse 26. When Jesus therefore saw His 
mother, and the disciple standing by whom He loved, He 
said mother, women, behold, thy son ! 

27. Then said He to the disciple, Behold thy mother ! 
And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. 

Chap, xx, verse 2. Then she runneth and cometh to Simon 
Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved. 

Chap, xix, verse 7. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus 
loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. 



The Gospel of Johx. 213 

Chap. xxi. verse 20. Then Peter, turneth about, seeth the 
disciple whom Jesus loved following : 

John's presence at the preceeding's and special connection 
with Christ, is here obviously demonstrated by his alleged 
actions and egotistic expressions. He is evidently proud of 
his close intimacy with the Martyr, which he never before 
signified so straightforwardly. His exalted conduct shows 
that he had assumed a different aspect in regard to his 
relations with Christ, and therefore, we must conclude that 
at this point he really became intimate with Him, which he 
had not been before. His reports from this point have a 
higher sense of responsibility, and therefore we must 
assume that' all his former reports, which have been alluded 
to from the beginning, were not the results of what he him- 
self had witnessed. 

About the Lord's dinner, John has very little to say, and 
only mentions that which specially refers to Judas. He 
does not notice that they are celebrating any particular 
feast, and commences his narrative at a point near the end 
of the supper. 

Chap, xiii, verse 2. And supper being ended, (the devil 
having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's 
son to betray Him.) 

He then describes the foot washing and says, 

Chap, xiii, verse 4. " He riseth from supper and laid 
aside His garments / and took a towel and girded himself . 

After this and toward the close of the same chapter the 
supper, according to John, seems to have recommenced. 

Chap, xiii, verse 26. Jesus answered, He it is to whom 1 
shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had 
dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 

John seems to be anything but clear as to the proceedings 
at the feast, and shows evident effort to turn the account in 
some shape. The foot washing happened after dinner, and 
Judas must have been present at the time, as he received his 
last sup later, and is referred to by Christ, as the one 
unclean amongst them. 



214 The Gospel of John. 

Chap, xiii, verse 11. For he knew icho should betray him ; 
therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. 

John immediately afterward describes incidents which 
were taking place again at the dinner. Christ, apprehen- 
sive of coming trouble, desired to show some special act of 
fellowship to his disciples, and hence, the feet washing, 
Christ may have suspected some plan was in operation 
against Him, and knowing Judas' character thoroughly, 
have distrusted him, and hinted His distrust to the rest. 
He may even have upbraided Judas, and this might have 
raised the latter's anger instead of mollifying it, and deter- 
mined him to immediately carry into effect what he had been 
meditating. It would be interesting to know whether 
Judas really was present and had his feet washed by Christ, 
for to this ceremony was attached great significance. 

Chap, xiii, verse 8. Peter said unto Him, Thou shalt 
never wash my feet. Jesus an swelled him, If I wash thee 
not thou hast no part with Me. 

But on this point John does not enlighten us much. 
However, he could not have represented Judas as being 
present without making of Christ a hypocrite, when Christ 
knew of the perfidy of Judas all along. 

To explain this conundrum, we must suggest that the 
so called Lord's dinner rather took a regular course. Judas, 
having been offended, left during or at the end ; subse- 
quently the foot-washing followed. But Peter would not 
allow Christ to wash his feet, in consequence of which some 
altercation occurred between him and Christ, which, how- 
ever, in its meaning, did not allude to Judas, who had 
left. 

We have again to refer to the omniscience of John, who 
not only shows an acquaintance with matters that could not 
possibly come under his observation, but also claims to 
know the very thoughts of the chief rulers, and the exact 
moment when the devil personally entered into the heart of 
Judas. 

Chap, xii, verse 42. Nevertheless, among the chief rulers 



The Gospel of John. 215 

also many believed on him, but because of the Pharisees they 
did not confess him, lest they should be 'put out of the syna- 
gogue. 

Chap, xiii, verse 2. And supper being ended, the devil 
now having put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's 
son, to betray him. 

After these evidences of the force of John's imagination 
we have a strong right to assume that the whole of his 
gospel is padded out in the same way. 

John next describes a discourse at great length (from 
Chap, xiv to Chap, xviii ), which Christ addressed to His 
followers. How he could remember this for years, and 
reproduce it, as it purports to be, in the exact words of 
Christ, is marvellous. The discourse, however, if one comes 
to examine it, has less the appearance of an extempore 
address, delivered at a time when the speaker was tilled with 
emotion and disturbed by the proximity of danger and even 
death, but of a well considered and careful study. 

The expression that Christ went forth with His disciples 
over ("he brook Cedron, seems to signify His followers in 
general. 

Chap, xviii, verse 1. When Jesus had spoken these words, 
he ivent forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where 
was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples. 

Judas having left them, the word '* disciples" cannot be 
assumed to apply to any special number, say twelve, be- 
cause if so the narrative would have said " with the remain- 
der of His disciples" or " with His disciples except one." 
This suggestion may be weak, but it helps to support our 
argument that no special twelve existed. 

The prophecy of the Old Testament which is referred to : 

Chap, xviii, verse 9. That the saying might be fulfilled 
which he spake, Of them which thou g'avest me have 1 lost 
none. 

is a remarkable contradiction of fact, for at least one of 
them, Judas, was lost. 

We cannot omit to admire the wonderful skill of Peter 



216 The Gospel of John. 

in cutting off the ear of oue of the high priest's servants, 
whose name, as John is careful to state, was Malchus. 

Chap, xviii, verse 10. Then Simon Peter having a 
sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut 
off his right ear. The servanfs name was Malchus. 

This could scarcely have been a skilled performance, 
however, for it was dark, and most likely it was an accident. 
Perhaps it is a mere observation on the part of John, to 
show more clearly Peter's heroic attitude on the occasion^ 
We cannot wonder that the soldiers were startled,, when, in 
reply to their challenge Jesus calmly answered, a I am He/' 
for they probably expected armed resistance from His en- 
thusiastic followers, and in consequence were themselves 
armed. Whether they actually fell to the ground at the 
sound of Christ's voice, however, is another matter. We 
must remember that it is John who reports it after this 
fashion, and that it was vary dark at the time. 

Chap, xviii, verse 5. They answered him, Jesus- of Nazar- 
eth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, 
which betrayed him, stood with them. 

6. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they 
went backward and fell to the ground. 

Except this little accident, or exaggeration, nothing re- 
markable is reported by John as having occurred. He may 
assume that the apprehension of Christ happened in much 
the same way as lie describes it, as John without doubt was 
a witness of that occurrence. In consideration of this fact 
we must consider it striking that John does not mention 
the least about the temptations and prayers of Christ. Most 
probably he did not know anything about this. 

We may well imagine that the disciples were scared, and 
that Peter, who had sworn that he would never leave Christ, 
followed Him at a distance. . Somebody known to Peter 
then procured him admission into the palace of the high 
priest, and as a quiet spectator he witnessed some of the 
proceedings. 

Chap, xviii, verse 15. And Simon Peter followed Jesus 



The Gospel of John. 217 

and so did another disciple. That disciple teas known unto 
the high priest, and went with Jesus' into the palace of the 
high priest. 

By bis manner he probably made himself an object of 
suspicion, and was therefore frequently interrogated in re 
gard to his relation to Christ, and that, for fear ot the ex- 
cited crowd, lie denied of all knowledge of Him. 

Chap, xviii, verse 17. Then saith the damsel that kept the 
door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disci- 
ples f He saith, I am not. 

Peter was conscious of the cowardice and bad faith thus 
manifested, and when he met Christ's look, it seemed re- 
proachful, and reminded him of all the sincere promises he 
had made never to leave or forswear Christ. It was early 
in the morning, and as he went out, being troubled in mind, 
the cock crew. This excited his attention at the time, and 
was ever afterward inseparable in his memory from this 
sad event. 

The trial of Christ is an exciting and interesting descrip- 
tion. There is little doubt that the account of these pro- 
ceedings is in the main correct, for as they were matters of 
public record, it would be dangerous to misrepresent them. 
Christ being secured was first brought to Annas ; who was 
the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest. 

Chap, xviii, verse 13. And led Him away to Annas first : 
for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, which was the high 
pinest that same year. 

A preliminary examination was there instituted, to con- 
sider what charge, if any, should be brought against Him. 
Then He was sent to Caiaphas, where the examination was 
continued. 

Chap, xviii, verse 19. The high priest then ashed Jesus 
of His disciples, and of His doctrine. 

When Christ was examined by Caiaphas, His conduct was 
probably reserved. He behaved with dignity, and relied 
upon His relation with His imaginary God and father. 
Not answering the questions of the high priest properly, he 



218 Thic Gospel of John. 

was simply struck in the face of this contempt for court. 

Chap, xviii, verse 22. And when He had thus spoken, one 
of the officers which stood by struck Je*us with the palm of 
his hand, saying. Answer est Thou the high priest so? 

Christ was then led to the tribunal. 

Chap, xviii, verse 28. Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas 
unto the hall of judgment : and it was early ; and they 
themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should 
be defiled, but that they might eat the passover. 

Pilate, however, could not tind that any wrong had been 
done by Him. 

Yerse 29, Pilate went out unto them, and said 14 hat ac- 
cusation bring you against this man f 

He therefore preferred for the Jews to fight out their 
quarrels themselves, and to be free himself from any re- 
sponsibility in these matters. 

Chap, xviii, verse 31. Then said Pilate unto them. Take 
ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews 
therefore said, unto him, Tt is not lawful for its to put any 
man to death. 

The Jews would not consent to judge Him themselves, 
because by their own laws, they could not accomplish their 
aim of killing Him, They therefore brought more serious 
charges against Christ: what they are is not mentioned. In 
all probability He is accused of treason against the dominion 
of the Roman Empire, and upon this charge, Pilate could 
not avoid examining Christ. 

Chap, xviii, verse 33. Then Pilate entered into into the 
judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said un'o him, 
Art Thou the King of Ihe Jews f 

Christ assents to this accusation, but proceeds to explain 
the signification of His kingdom. 

Chap, xviii, verse 36. Jesus answered, My kingdom is 
not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then 
would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered to 
the Jews : but now is My kingdom not from hence- 

Then Pilate perceives that the man is nothing more than 



The Gospel of Johx- 219 

a religious fanatic, and sees no cause to punish Him. 

Chap, xviii, verse 38. Pilate saith unto him, What is 
truth? And when he had said this, he went out again wi- 
to the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at 
all. 

The Jews not being- satisfied with this, Pilate takes to 
another expedient, leaving the Jews to chose, according to 
custom at the passover, what malefactor shall be released, 
believing that they will certainly prefer to release Jesus, 
whose offence is so light. But the hate and fury of th'3 
Jews was too intense for them to be rational, and rather 
than have Christ released they asked for a notorious robber 
to be pardoned. 

Chap, xviii, verse 40. Then cried they all again, saying 
Not this man but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was- a. rob- 
ber. 

Pilate, probably as a last attempt to appease the Jews, 
had Christ scourged on the ground of His having assumed 
the title King of the Jews. 

Chap, xix, verse 1. Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and 
scourged him. 

And with the idea of ridiculing the whole matter he had 
Christ dressed up in kingly garments, and a crown of thorns 
put on His head. 

Chap, xix, verse 5. Then came Jesus forth, wearing the 
crown of thorns and thepnrj?le robe. And Pilate said un- 
to tit em, Behold the man. 

This excited the Jews still more, and they frantically 
cried out for His crucifixion. 

Chap, xix, verse 6. When the chief priests therefore and 
officers saw him, they cried, out, saying, Crucify him, crucify 
him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify 
him. : for 1 find no fault in him. 

Pilate hesitates, and feeling assured in his own mind that 
Jesus had violated no law, he enquires as whether the man 
may not come under the jurisdiction of some other ruler. 

Chap, xix, verse 9. And went again unto the judgment 



220 The Gospel of John. 

hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art Thou f But Jesus 
gave him no answer. 

The Jews owing this hesitancy became even more clam- 
orous for Christ's death. They even threatened Pilate with 
the wrath of Caesar if he did not accede to their wishes. 
Chap, xix, verse 12. " Arid from thenceforth Pilate sought 
to release Him. But the Jews cried out saying, If thou let 
this man go thou art not Omar's friend. Whosoever maketh 
himself a king speaketh against Oossar." Pilate at length 
had to give way to their clamors. Chap, xix, verse 15. 
^ But they cried out, Away with Him ! away with Him ! 
Crucify Him ! Pilate said unto them : Shall I crucify 
your king f The chief priests answered, We have no king 
hut Omsar. (16.) Then delivered he Him therefore unto 
them to he crucified, and they took Jesus and led Him 
away" 

The whole gives vivid evidence of the tremendous excite- 
ment this occurrence had created among the Jews. It can 
be seen all through, however, that the principal opponents 
of Christ were the priests, who dreaded the influence gained 
by this eecentrie religious reformer. We may consider this 
lively description of the proceedings against Christ to be the 
most credible part of John's testimony. No extraordinary 
performances are narrated, probably because the whole 
proceedings were witnessed by thousands and were well 
remembered. 

We observe that the trial of Christ commenced on Friday 
morning, the day before the Passover : and that* the Jews 
did not enter the Roman judgment hall for fear of being 
defiled. 

Pilate had to examine Christ upon the charges brought 
against Him by the Jews, while the Jews, for the reason 
mentioned, did not put in an appearance. He therefore 
had Christ brought out on the pavement, face to face with 
his accusers. 

Chap, xix, verse 13. When Pilate therefore heard that 
saying he brought Jesus forth and sat down in thejudg- 



The Gosppx of John. 221 

ment seat, in a place that is called the pavement, hut in the 
Hebretv Gabbatha. 

These proceedings, therefore, were witnessed perhaps by 
many of the adherents of Christ, and even by John him- 
self. 

Christ is then led to a place called Golgotha and crucified 
between two malefactors, over his head being nailed the 
title to which He was alleged to have laid claim. 

Chap, xix, verse 19. And Pilate wrote a title, and put it 
on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZA- 
RETH, THE KTNG OF THE JEWS. 

This was no doubt placed there by Pilate as a justifica- 
tion of the condemnation to which he had been forced. He 
had the document written in several languages, so that all 
strangers in Jerusalem might read it, and it might prevent 
any rumors to the effect that the sentence was not a just 
one. 

John has but little more to mention in respect to the last 
moments of Christ. He states that the mother of Christ 
was specially given into his care, but her name is after- 
ward never mentioned, which circumstance, considering the 
important testimony she was able to give in regard to 
Christ, is rather singular. 

Chap, xix, verse 25. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus 
his mother, anal his mother'' s sister, Mary the wife of Cleo- 
phas, and Mary Magdalene. 

26. ^ When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the dis- 
ciple standing by whom He loved., He saith unto His mother 
— Woman j behold thy Son ! 27. Then saith He to the 
disciple, Behold thy Mother • and from that hour that dis- 
ciple took her to his own home." 

This, according to John T was all Christ had to say when 
He departed, wdiich is certainly very little considering the 
alleged important mission He was about to conclude. Pos- 
sibly He had thought up to the last moment that He should 
excape in some miraculous manner. He found that His 
trust in God was of no avail, that He had to succumb to 



222 The Gospel of John. 

human judgment, that His imagined divine character was 
Vain, and therefore He was silent. He suffered the pangs 
of torture like other mortals, and also thiristed. 

Chap, xix, verse 28. After this, Jesus knowing that all 
things were now accomplished ', that the Scripture might be 
fulfilled, saith, 1 thirst. 

29. Now there zoos set a vessel full of vinegar ; and they 
filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and 
put it to his mouth. 

How John became aware that Christ knew " all the 
things were now accomplished,'' is another little instance of 
John's omniscience. 

Chap, xix, verse 30. When Jesus therefore had received the 
vinegar He said it is finished: and He bowed His head, 
•and gave up the Ghost. 

The death occurred according to the laws of nature. 

The division of Christ's garments may have been in accord- 
ance with custom, and there is nothing in the circumstance 
to be considered except its reference to the Old Scripture. 
Chap, xix, verse 24. " They said therefore amongst them- 
selves, Lei us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall 
be ; that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which saith : l hey 
parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they 
Hid cast lots. These things th-eref ore the soldiers did." This 
is really mentioned at Psalms, Chap, xx, verse 13. " They 
parted my garments among them, and cast lots for my ves- 
ture." This, however, is not intended as a prophecy, and 
•can in no way be regarded as one. It alludes only to David 
himself, and in connection with it, there are various other 
tribulations mentioned which did not happen to Christ ; so 
that if prophecy it was, but a small portion of it was fulfilled. 
But how came the soldiers to adopt this plan of div iding 
the garments "that the Scriptures might be fulfilled? 

They were Romans, not Jews, and one can hardly believe 
that outsiders had so thorough an acquaintance with the 
Jewish Scriptures. In all probability this is one of those 
cases where a great effort has been made to find, in regard 



The Gospel of John. 223 

to an Incident in Christ's life, something like a coincidence 
in the Old Scripture. In every case where this has succeed- 
ed the latter is cited as a prophecy. 

We may well suppose that there were many who did not 
believe in the guilt of Christ", especially the non-concerned, 
the soldiers, the Greeks, and the JK-omans, and that therefore 
the soldiers, out of respect to this innnocent sufferer, did 
not break His legs, as it was customary to do, but pierced 
J lis side with a spear to put an end to His agonies. 

Chap, xix, verse 33, But when they came to Jesus, 
and saw that He vms dead already they brake not His 
Irgs : 

34. But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, 
and forthwith came there out blood and water. 

This is all John knows and reveals about the passion of 
Christ, and in the main it is so plain and reasonably stated 
that we have no ground for disbelieving it, especially after 
such sincere expressions as these, which however, has 
evidently reference ro the later occurances only. 

Chap, xix, verse 35. And he that saw it bare record, and 
his record is true : and he hioweth that he saith true, that 
ye might believe. 

However, where he refers to the Old Scriptures again — 

Chap, xix, verse 36. For these things vjere done, that the 
scripture should, be fulfilled, A bone of Rim shall not be 
broken. 

37. And again another scripture saith. They shall look 
on Him. whom they pierced. 

and which may be found corresponding to some extent with 
Exodus, Chap, xii, verse 46. In one house shall it be eaten: 
thou shall not carry forth oug^t of the flesh abroad out of 
the house / neither shall ye break a bone thereof. 

Zachariah, Chap, xii, verse 10. And 1 will pour upon 
the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, 
the spirit of grace and supplications; and they shall look 
upon Me %ohom they have pierced, and they shall mourn 
far Him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be 



224 The Gospel of John. 

in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his 
Jirst-born. 

This can hardly be interpreted as having any reference 
to Christ, because it distinctly alludes to entirely different 
objects and circumstances. 

Then Christ is taken from the cross by some special 
friends, and the body is embalmed and wrapped in linen, 
according to the Jewish costom, and laid in a new sepul- 
chre. The first day of the week, Mary Magdalen goes 
early in the morning alone to the grave, probably to mourn 
there over her beloved master. 

Chap, xx, verse 1. The first day of the week cometh Mary 
Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, 
and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. 

This first day of the week is with us now the Sabbath. 
Friday evening Christ was laid in the sepulchre ; on Sunday 
morning it was found that the body had disappeared. It 
had been in the sepulchre not three days, as stated, but two 
nights and one day. Mary Hnds the stone taken away from 
the grave and the sepulchre empty. She returns and 
reports this to Peter, and to the apostle " whom Jesus 
loved,'' which no doubt means John. 

Chap, xx, verse 2. Then she runneth and cometh to Si- 
mon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and 
saith unto them, They have taken awa.y the Lord out of the 
sepulchre and we k'xow not where they have laid him. 

Both Peter and John go to the grave to convince them- 
selves of the truth of this statement, and a detailed account 
is given of what they saw at the sepulchre. 

Chap, xx, verse 3. Peter therefore went forth, and that 
other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. 

4. So they ran both together * and, the other disciple did 
outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. 

5. And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen 
clothes lying / yet went he not in. 

6. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went 
into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the 



The Gospel of John. 225 

napkin that was about his head not lying with the linen 
clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. 

8. Then went in also that other disciple which came first 
to the sepidchre, and he saw, and believed. 

9. For as yet they knew not the Scripture, that he must 
rise again from the dead. 

10. Then the disciples went away again unto their own 
home. 

This seems to be a plain and credible account of what 
occurred when it was discovered that Christ's body had 
disappeared from the grave. They had no idea as yet that 
Christ would rise from the grave, and John represents the 
occurrences from this standpoint. They had seen nothing 
but an empty grave ; the body was gone, but the grave- 
clothes were left behind. Where the corpse had gone to, 
they had no idea, but they began to call to mind various 
expressions of Christ in regard to u the resurrection," 
and from this formed the theory that in Christ's case 
a real resurrection had taken place. This was rumored 
abroad, growing more plausible as the story was repeated, 
until at length it was to the effect that not only had Christ 
arisen, but He had been seen of His disciples. 

Now, Peter and John, after examining the grave, returned 
home, having noticed nothing out of the common. Mary, 
appareTJtly, returned to the grave, for no apparent purpose, 
and then notices the angels there, who also spoke to her. 

Chap, xx, verse 11. But Mary stood without at the se- 
pulchre weeping : and as she wept, she stooped down and 
looked into the sepulchre. 

12. And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the 
head, and the other at the feet, where the bo'ly of Jesus had 
lain. 

How natural this occurrence may have happened, the 
course of the narrative here indicates a remarkable defici- 
ency. First it is stated that Mary Magdalene returned home 
from the grave, and informs Peter of the disappearance of 
Christ. He and " the disciple whom Jesus loves," go to the 



226 The Gospel of John. 

grave, to convince themselves of the truth, and return home 
as stated. 

Yerse 10. Then the disciples went away again unto their 
own home. 

The next verse at once brings us again to face with Mary 
at the grave. Chap, xx, verse 11. "But Mary stood with- 
out at the sepulchre weeping" This evidently is a distortion 
of the account of the proceedings, since Peter and John do 
not mention Mary's presence, and would scarcely have left 
her alone. She may have returned but this is suggestion 
only. It is singular, however, that up to Chap, xx, verse 10, 
where John evidently reveals from personal experience, 
nothing uncommon happens. From verse 11 however, where 
Mary unexpectedly occurs, the mystery again takes it course 
and continues to the end. May we not suggest that from 
the latter point John again reports from tradition, which 
was clumsily connected with the point where his own ex- 
perience stopped. 

Mary is also reported as being the first to whom the 
resurrected Christ shows Himself. She met some unknown 
man whom she supposed at the time to be the gardener, 
and questions him about the disappearance of the body. 
He makes some equivocal and mysterious replies, and Mary 
passes on her way. Afterwards when the rumor of Christ's 
resurrection had swollen to a real bodily reappearance she 
recalls this scene with the gardener, and readily fancies 
that it was Christ who had appeared to her in that shape. 

Chap, xx, verse 15. Jesus said unto her. Woman why weep- 
est thou f Whom seekest thou f She, supposing Him to he the 
gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have home Him hence, 
tell me where thou hast laid, him, and 1 will take him away. 

Possibly, however, the whole story is a frabrication to 
confirm the theory that Christ had arisen, and to confute? 
on the other hand, the rumors that the body had been stolen 
from the grave. The words the newly arisen Jesus ad- 
dresses to Mary are mysterious in their import. 



The Gospel of Johx. 1&2? 

Chap, xx, verse 17. Jesus saith unto her, touch me not, for 
I am not yet ascended to my Father, hut go to my brethren 
and my unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your 
Father^ and unto my God and your God, 

So Christ had first to ascend to heaven before He could 
allow anyone to touch Him ; after this journey He was in a 
fit state to be handled. 

Chap, xx, verse 27. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach 
hither thy finger, and behold my hands / and reach hither 
thy hand, and thrust it into my side : and be not faithless, 
but believing. 

The appearances of Christ after death do not appear to 
have any special object beyond that of inducing the dis- 
ciples to believe in his bodily resurrection. 

Chap, xx, verse 19. Then the same day, at evening, being 
the first day of tlve week, when the doors were shut where the 
disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, came Jesus 
and stood in the midst and said unto them, Peace be unto 
youP 

Very little has He to say to them. He distributes the 
Holy Ghost in a singular way, and disappears. 

Chap, xx, verse 22. And when he had said this he breath- 
ed on them and said unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost m 
Whosesoever sins, ye remit they are remitted unto them, and 
whosesoever sins ye retain they are retained." And again : 
Chap, xx, verse 2±. Rat Thomas, one of the twelve, called 
Didymus, was not with them when Jesus come, the other dis. 
ciples therefore said unto him,' We have seen the Lord. (25.) 
But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the 
print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the 
nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. 

26. And after eight days, again hi$ disciples wer e within 
and Thomas with them. Then came Jesus, the doors being 
shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 

This is the whole and sole object of Christ's reappear- 
ance. Thomas, who, as it is supposed, was nearly always 
with Christ, and witnessed most of the miracles He had 



228 The Gospel of John. 

done, expressed firmly his determination not to believe 
what his brethren in faith had told him, except he was 
convinced by his own observation. Christ submits to this 
distrust of Thomas, and fur the sake of convincing him He 
appears again on earth, and grants every point of his demand, 
so that he may believe. And yet it is now expected from 
us that we should believe the same thing, albeit we have 
seen nothing, and have no other proof except the testimony 
of this little book. The disbelief of Thomas was forgiven, 
although he knew and had lived with Christ; while we are 
kept in uncertainty, having nothing to vouch for the truth. 

A careful reading of John's gospel, therefore, leaves the 
impression that the history of the Passion, is based on John's 
own experience, while the resurrection and reappearance is 
fable, or the report of stories which had been created by the 
rumor of Christ's resurrection. Even where he refers to the 
twelve who have seen Christ 

Chap, xx, verse 24. But Thomas, one of the twelve, call- 
ed Didymus^ was not with them when Jesus came. 
we could not consider it reliable, for the simple reason, as 
suggested before, that this oft-mentioned number of dis- 
ciples was purely imaginary. Supposing there really had 
been twelve specially appointed disciples there could not 
have been more than eleven at this time, because Judas 
had left their ranks. 

That John had heard of many more fables that lie did 
not think important enough to record we may be thoroughly 
convinced. 

Chap, xx, verse 30. And many other signs truly did Jesus 
in the presence of His disciples which are not written in this 
book. 

He then concludes, in the next verse i 

But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is 
the Christ, the Son of God ; a>>d that believing ye might 
have life through his name. 

After this, however, he remembers another little story 
which he thinks is important enough to be record..'* 1 : 



The Gospel of John. 229 

Chap, xxi, verse 3. Simon Peter saith un*o them, I go a 
fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They 
went forth, and entered into a ship immediately • and that 
night they caught nothing. 

A similar fable is mentioned by Luke, but it differs from 
this in all essential points. No doubt it is the same story, 
however, and has only undergone those mysterious changes 
which happen to every common rumor. Matthew and 
Mark only mention that Peter and Andrew, his brother, 
were casting their nets into the sea, as they were fishermen, 
and that they were called from this occupation to become 
disciples. John probably forgot this point when writing 
his gospel, and so, in order to bring it in at the end he cre- 
ates another reappearance of Christ. This suggestion has 
weight in the fact that although the other apostles mention 
this fishing excursion of Simon Peter, none of them i ive it 
any connection with the reappearance of Christ. 

Chap, xxi, verse 4. But when the morning w >s now 
•come, Jesus stood on the, shore; hut the disciples knew not 
that it was Jesus. 

5. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any 
■meat? They answered him No. 

And now with regard to the miracle itself. 

Chap, xxi, verse 6. And he said unto them, Cast the net 
on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They 
cast therefore / and now they were not able to draw it for 
the multitude of fishes. 

We must wonder that these fishers, having toiled hard all 
night without avail, should recommence their weary labors 
at the suggestion of a stranger, and a man who, from His 
-dress and appearance, could have little knowledge of their 
craft. For none of them knew that the stranger was Christ. 
John to lend an air of fact to the miracle, states the exact 
number of fishes that were caught by following the 
stranger's suggestion. 

Chap, xxi, verse 11. Simon Peter went up, and drew 
the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty 



230 The Gospel of John. 

three: and for all there was so many, yet was not the net 
broken. 

To further illustrate the miracle,, attention is particularly 
drawn to the fact that this very large draft of fishes did not 
break the nets. It is easy to be seen that this story has 
received several additions from the fanciful imagination of 
John himself. 

The conversation between 'Christ and Peter is also im- 
aginary, and no doubt has its foundation in the story of 
Peter denying Christ during the latter *s trial. 

John often takes the precaution of mentioning the names 
of the disciple present at the various occurrences he de- 
scribes. He does so in this case. 

Chap, xxi, verse 2. There were together Simon Peter y 
and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathaniel of Gana in 
Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other- of his disciples* 

In some instances- he is careful to indicate his own pres- 
ence, but in an indirect manner. In this ease he says 
simply, "And two other of the disciples," a few verses 
further on it is "that disciple whom Jesus loved," so that 
there may be no possibly be a doubt as to the identity of 
one of the two other disciples, without however, commit- 
ting himself. 

Chap, xxi, verse 7. Therefore that disciple whom .Jseus< 
loveth said unto Peter, This the Lord. Wow when Simon 
Peter- heard that it was the Lord, he gird his fishers coat unto* 
Mm for he was naked, and did cast himself into the sea. 

All this is introduced for no other purpose than to sup- 
port John's own dignity, and to show the prominent place 
he occupies among Christ's followers. There is further 
gonfirmation of this view. 

Chap, xxi, verse 22. Jesus said unto him, IfL will that 
he tarry till I come, what is that to thee f Follow thou me. 

22. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren', 
that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto 
him, He shall not die ; but, if I will that he tarry till 1 
■Qom'e^ what is that to thee f 



The Gospel of John. 231 

John had most probable, at the time he wrote this, 
attained a good age, and believing that the end of the world 
was near at hand, fancied that Christ would return to judge 
the world before his (John's) death. 

It was to bring in this story that Peter's name is so promi- 
nently mentioned giving him some credit also, otherwise we 
doubtless should have heard only " of the disciple whom 
Jesus loveth," a phrase which occurs so often in this gospel. 

Chap, xxi, verse 20. Then Peter turning about, seeth 
the disciple whom Jesus loveth, following, which also leaned 
on his breast at supper and said — Lord which is he that be- 
trayeth Theef 

It was this " beloveth disciple " who wrote this gospel : 
he is next very careful to inform ns. 

Chap, xxi, verse 24. This is the disciple which testified 
of these things, and wrote these things, and we know that his 
testimony is true. 

Finally, John mentions, once more that. Christ had done 
many other things — probably meaning miracles — and their 
number was so great that it was impossible to record them. 

Chap, xxi, verse 25. And there are also many other things 
which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every 
one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain 
the books that should be written. Amen. 

With this wonderful remark John closes his testimony. 
He fails to record the last and one of the most wonderful 
acts of Christ, testified to by the other apostles — that of 
Christ's ascent into heaven — he probably never heard of it. 

The final scene of the history of Christ, upon which His 
divine character is chiefly founded, must be considered as 
the most prominent act of any of those reported. John 
could not have omitted this if it had really happened. He 
could have been absent, but could never have been left 
unconscious of it, and could never have neglected to report 
it. However, this miracle which Matthews did not dare to 
record, and Mark only slightly hints at, was a consequence 
of the fable of the resurrection of Christ. 



REVELATIONS. 
BY JOHN. 

We observe at once, in our perusal of this book, the same 
lofty style and visionary expressions to which we have be- 
come familiar with, in John's writings. The revelations 
have generally been considered testimony of great value, 
written try the direct inspiration of God, but which the 
simple human mind is not able to conceive. It shows, 
however, a want of sound judgment to concede that that 
which we cannot understand, is therefore of a superior 
knowledge or excellence. It is for the thinking man not to 
concede all that is suggested to him, but to examine the 
facts presented, trace them to their source, and himself to 
judge from these facts and the circumstances connected 
therewith, how far the inferences drawn from them coin- 
cide with his own deliberate opinion, and are of any value to 
himself. The most valuable representations must undoubt- 
edly be those which are perfectly clear and comprehensible 
to those to whom they are addressed, and nothing can be of 
value, not even the testimony of a God, if we are unable to 
understand it. To attach a higher value to the Revelations 
because they are unintelligible, is therefore the height of 
absurdity. 

The very first statement he makes is open to objection, 
except by those who believe John w r as divinely inspired. 
To such we refer our demonstrations of his constant con- 
tradictions and inconsistencies of statement. He says in 
his first verse, by way of preface : 



Eevelations. 23 3 

1. Ihe Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto 
Mm, to show unto his servants things which 'must shortly 
come to pass y and he said and signified it by his angel unto 
his servant John : 

2. Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testi- 
mony of Jesus Christ, and of all thing* that he saw. 

John was evidently of opinion that the judgment of the 
world was soon to come to pass, and that alL creation, as 
stated further on, would fare badly. Herein, as time has 
proved, he was sorely mistaken. This revelation, he says, 
was sent to him by an angel, and yet he immediately after 
states that he actually saw and heard these things. 

Chap, i, verse 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord y s day, 
and heard behind we a great voice, as of a trumpet. 

11. Saying, I am Alpha and Omega for the first and the 
last y and, What thou seest, write in a booh, and send it unto 
the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and 
unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and 
unto Sardis, an d unto Philadelphia, and tmto Laodicea. 

This spirit — as all spirits mentioned in the Bible are rep- 
resented to be, not excepting the spirit of the Most High — 
is a partial and sectarian spirit. He recommends John to 
send this revelation to the seven churches only whose names 
are given. This would seem to argue that the spirit's 
knowledge of the churches of earth was just as extensive 
and interesting, and not more so, than that of John. These 
churches, as no others that we know of, had special angel 
guardians, and to these John was commanded to write. 

Chap, ii, verse 1. Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus 
write. Chap, ii, verse 8. And unto the angel of the church 
of Smyrna write, etc. 

Then the wonderful description which John gives. 

Chap, i, verse 16. And he had, in his right hand seven 
stars ; and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword ; 
and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 

And then the wonderful effect it had upon the writer 
himself. 



234 Revelations. 

17. And when I saw him, I fell at Ms feet as dead. And 
he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not ; 
I am the first and the last : 

All this points to the probability, that John was suffering 
from religious exultation, and reavealed his sensations and 
visions. This is proved by his own statement. 

Chap, i, verse 10. I was in the spirit on the Lord's day, 
and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet. 

This was the voice, as he supposed, of Christ, and yet he 
describes Him as being the holder of the keys of hell. 

Chap. i. verse 18. I am he that liveili, aud was dead; 
and, behold, 1 am alive for evermore, Amen ; and have the 
keys of hell and of death. 

This is not all a loving spirit, but on the contrary, a very 
spiteful one, especially toward those sects which had not 
embraced Christianity to the full, or professed other doc- 
trines. 

Chap, ii, verse 6. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the 
deeds of the Nieolaitanes, which I also hate. 

Chap, ii, verse 14. But I have a few things against thee, 
because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Blaaam 
who taught Balac to cast a stumbling-block before the chil- 
dren of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to com- 
mit fornication. 

15. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the 
Lsicolaitanes, which thing 1 hate. 

Chap, ii, verse 20. Notwithstanding I have a few things 
against thee, because thou suffered that woman Jezebel, which 
calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants 
to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. 

21. And 1 gave her space to repent of her fornication ; 
and she repjented not. 

22. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that com- 
mit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they re- 
pent of their deeds. 

23. And I will kill her children with death. 

This description of the special predictions of a heavenly 



Revel ation s. 235 

spirit, and the special things he takes delight in, is much 
more applicable to the spirits from the opposite region. 
Had not a " divinely-inspired " disciple written it, it might 
have been accepted as a good pen-picture of a fiend incar- 
nate. Fancy a divine spirit exulting over the awful fate of 
an erring human bein^ I 

When John had finished his exhortations to the seven 
churches he again relapses into the ecstacy of mind which 
he calls *' being in the spirit. " 

Chap, iv, verse 2. And immediately I was in the /Spirit: 
and, he/ioldy a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the 
throne. 

He then sees all manner of strange sights, one .vision 
crowding into another. This, he describes in the most 
exciting manner. They prove that John's fanaticisms had 
brought him to the same mental stage as it does a large 
contingent of the inmates of our insane asylum at the pre- 
sent day. These Revelations, written in the craziest possi- 
ble manner, are the emanations of a crazy brain— a religious 
maniac. 



SUMMARY. 



The whole of the foregoing evidence, adorned by these 
so-called inspired writers, it will be seen, fails to bear out the 
popular idea that the founder of Christianity was in any 
sense a divinity. Only few of the reports have any direct 
reference to Him, while the majority of the religions teach- 
ings and statements attributed to Him in fact resulted from 
the combined efforts of some of His followers of a later date, 
who never saw Him, and must therefore have compiled their 
accounts upon legends and traditions more or less unreliable. 

The only accounts to which some reliance may be at- 
tached for the reason that the writers were contemporaries 
and followers of Clfrist, are those of Peter, James, Jude 
and John. The three first named give not the slightest in- 
dication of Christ having possessed any supernatural charac- 
ter ; while John, who became a convert only during the last 
days of Jesus, is too much of a fanatic to inspire us with 
any respect for his reliability. He reports not only what he 
saw, but, in his zeal forgetting discretion, reproduces all the 
wonderful stories about Christ that emanated from and were 
kept in circulation by the ignorant and superstitious, and 
which, as other writers show, had no real foundation. Paul, 
who was as much a fanatic in some respects, as John him- 
self, mentions none of the extraordinary circumstances con- 
nected with Christ's life to which John refers so often, and 
if they were generally accepted as facts during his time, he 
would most likely have done so. The pupils of Paul — 
Matthew, Mark and Luke — who, as the evidence clearly 
shows, acted in concert, do refer to them, although earnestly 
warned by Paul of the danger attaching the circulation of 



Summary. 237 

such '"old wives' tales/' It was many years after the death 
or Christ before these stories came to their knowledge, ana 
tiieu, having no means of verifying or substantiating then], 
they had no right to publish theui as facts. 

We may believe that Jesus was a man of superior intelli- 
gence ; an eccentric reformer and scrupulous defender of His 
sincere convictions, for which cause he sacrificed His life. 
The manner of His death confirmed the assumption in regard 
t> His divine mission, while the mysterious disappearance of 
His body from the grave — resulted in shrouding the whole 
in a mystery, and caused the adoption of the theory of 
resurrection, advocated by Christ himself, but figurative. 

The doctrines of the New Testament, if followed out in 
their entirety, would have produced a demoralizing rather 
tiian a beneficial effect upon humanity. Common sense, 
however, has stepped in, and while the utterly absurd and 
unfeasible were gradually yet deliberately ignored, those on- 
ly were adopted which seemed applicable to our human 
institutions. Yet we can have no doubt that many of these 
doctrines were the cause of much demoralization in former 
generations, and, to some extent, at the present time. One 
of these demoralizing doctrines, which still retains a foot, 
hold only because it is profitable, is that of the absolution of 
sin. The easy reconciliation for any perpetrated crime, 
through absolution, must cause a disregard of sin, although 
it may be argued that the absolution is invalid unless sought 
from a motive of true penitence. This proves that not ab- 
solution but penitence and reform is the question, and where 
this reaction does not take place, absolution is in vain. Never- 
theless, absolution is a consoler for temporary remorse, which 
loses its effect, however, as easily as it is obtained. The 
practice of it causes the delusion that all evil deeds are 
straightened if the required penalty in prayers or money has 
been paid. Absolution has thus become to many a matter 
of business and petty consideration only, instead of produc- 
ing a real beneficial result. When, however, absolution does 
not exist, and in hours of meditation the mind feels burdened 



23S StTMMARr. 

with the heavy charges of conscience and no relief can be 
obtained, except through genuine reformation, conversion 
then will be more sincere and more durable than any absolu- 
tion can effect; and if real reformation is attested by im- 
proved mind and conduct the past will go into oblivion and 
no merciful God will criminate such ardent penitent. 



ERRONEOUS THEORY OF THE DEITY. 



A great and sublime idea of the Deity is conveyed in the 
Christian Gospel, in which He is represented as a loving, 
merciful and almighty father, who loves His children "which 
are men" dearly; and for whom He has prepared a heaven, 
where they will be received in glory after having lived a 
thoroughly religious life in strict obedience of the command- 
ments submitted to them by His prophets. This Deity is 
supposed to guide all our ways and doings to our own good ; 
and even if we are adverse and oppose His providence He has 
left a way open by which the stubborn may share His mercy, 
namely by repenting and acknowledging His son Jesus 
Christ, whom He sent to take all the sins of mankind upon 
Himself and by death to expiate them. 

This idea brings the image of an infinite good God so near 
to us that we may almost converse with Him ; He becomes a 
companion and consoler to us whenever we may happen to 
need support. However sublime this idea may appear to us, 
it leaves a great question open to consideration, which, if we 
accept this theory unconditionally, exposes this sublime ruler 
to undeniable injustice. All humanity being His children, 
all must be equally dear to Him, and have all an equal claim 
to His mercy, and be entitled to the same facilities for gain- 
ing His glorious heaven at last. This theory, however, only 
grants the favor to recognize this God and His son Jesus 
Christ in the particular form which the Scripture stipulates, 
to only a small part of His children ; the heathen, or those 
who do not recognize this God in this particular form, are 
damned. They are endowed with equal mental and physical 
faculties, and most of them acknowledge a Deity, whom they 
worship and adore and sometimes undergo great sufferings 



240 Erroneous Theory of the Deity. 

for. It simply comes to this, that according to the Christian 
idea they are mistaken in their Deity. 

Frequently these heathen are far superior in character and 
habit than those who call themselves the favored ones of 
God, nevertheless, since the opportunity has not been afforded 
them of becoming familiar with our Scriptures, they are 
consigned to eternal damnation. Much less could they be 
aware that a son of this God ever existed, whose adoration 
is essential to salvation. 

This theory, even the most prejudiced advocate of Chris- 
tianity will admit, is rather confused. It is impossible to 
conceive that a just, all-good and merciful God would merci 
lessly condemn those to eternal damnation He failed or had 
rn'olected to make familiar with His real name and character* 
This difficulty is attempted to be surmounted by the theory 
that the circumstances surrounding a man's life will be taken 
into consideration at the judgment, and forbearance shown 
to those heatben who never had the chance to inform them- 
selves of the Christian God, and that perhaps a reconciliation 
may then be effected. If such suggestions should prove to 
he correct, why should not the same principle apply to doubt- 
ing Christians ? And for what purpose did Christ appear, if 
a conversion after death was possible. 

If we acknowledge an invariably just Creator, we must 
consider Him just in all His ways ; but the distinct forms of 
the original Christian doctrines do not admit of this; and 
since its theories in this regard are arbitrary and contradictory, 
and incompatible with the idea of an all just and infallible 
God its doctrines must be erroneous. 

Neither can "the theory of His invariably guiding our w T ays 
mid the predestination of our fate be maintained in face of 
the alleged* 

[f all our ways and doings are ordered by Him, we are in- 
voluntary tools of His will and whim, and cannot be held 
answerable for the result of our lives in any way. How 
•could a just God award eternal sufferings and damnation for 
perpertated evil and crime which He had Himself dictated? 



Erroneous Theory of the Deity. 241 

And when good works are done under compulsion what 
merit in them is there that calls for reward ? While the 
merits of those who are saved for heaven would go for 
naught, those who would be consigned to hell would be justi- 
fied in accusing this alleged infallible God of cruelty, parti- 
ality and injustice. 

It may be suggested that God, after all, is perfectly just, 
but that our limited conception is unable to understand His 
ways but such reasoning only proves our utter ignorance of 
the divine ways, and, being ignorant of this most prominent 
principle, we may as well admit that we are entirely ignorant 
of Him and of the future. 

These theories of the Deity existed long before Christ, 
having originated in the darkest days of ignorance and 
superstition. Even Jesus Christ knew no better, and His 
acknowledgment of them is incorporated with His own 
record. 



ERKONEOUS THEOEY OF HEAVEN. 



The Biblical description of a heaven, where God rules 
seated on a throne, surrounded by angels and saints, and 
judging the good and the bad, is a vague human explanation 
of what is to come hereafter. Leaving out of consideration 
the vague direction in which this heaven may be located, 
with its throne of gold or silver, it is incompatible with the 
character of a divine Providence that the fate of its subjects, 
for a lasting eternity, should be dependent on their behavior 
during their short existence on this globe, where their course 
is a mere change and subject to uncontrollable contingencies. 
Many expire who never even become- conscious of what is 
good or evil, and how could they enjoy the reward of any 
merits ? The actions of men are governed by circumstances, 
and while some have hardly any cares, and no cause for 
transgressing either natural or human laws, others are driven 
by circumstances to the most desperate deeds ; nevertheless 
the result of such circumstances decides his fate for eternity. 
This is contrary to any theory of an all-just and bounteous 
Providence, and therefore heaven cannot be of this character, 
as represented in the Scriptures. 

Can even eternity be an aimless existence for eternal joy 
or torture ? 

In heaven it is said that the spirits are graded according to 
their merits while on this globe ; is this consistent with uni- 
versal equality ? And is such an existence as they are 
described as leading there in accordance with creation's law 
of continual activity and progress? Such theories may be 
good enongli for short-sighted and ignorant people, but can 
hardly satisfy the intelligent and consideivd class of our 
present century. 



ERRONEOUS THEORY OF THE DEVIL. 



The theory of the devil in all the different characters he 
is represented in the bible is supremely ridiculous in its 
nature, and utterly inconsistent with the doctrines of an all- 
mighty, omniscient, merciful and infallible God. The God 
who* according to the Scriptures, had made everything per- 
fect, could not have created or permitted the existence of a 
race of demons whose only object would be to travesty his 
divine will and purpose. Since all evil is attributed to the 
works and influence of the devil, no temptation would ever 
exist if these evil demons were not allowed by Him to exer- 
cise such power. All humanity would have been strictly 
faultless here, and have an undisputed title to heaven here- 
after. Nevertheless these devils are permitted to continue 
their mischief, and to alienate many of this God's beloved 
children from Him and lead them to eternal damnation. 

This God would not be good, just and merciful if He 
suffered this to continue when it is in His power to stop it. 
However, if He has no power over this devil, then we have 
tj recognize an independent evil god, and might just as well 
adopt the Persian or any other heathen mytholygy which 
represents the gods of good and evil continually contesting 
each other's purpose, poor humanity being the apple of dis. 
cord between them. 

Neither is the theory of the devil consistent with the doc- 
trine of predestination, and the invariable direction of men's 
ways by God. If the Creator predestines the fate of His 
subjects, and guides all their ways, He surely would not lead 
a portion of his beloved children into the clutches of His 
most hated foe? The power and authority of this God, it 
would seem, are restricted; ever the devil He has not gained 



244 Erroneous Theory of the Devil. 

supremacy. All the evil of the world is the devil's work ; 
and it could not have been accomplished had the higher 
spirit power to object. 

The impossibility of this theory is not difficult to prove, 
and it must rather be wondered at, how poor humanity for 
such a long period has been able to maintain the theory of 
an allmighty, infallible, just, merciful Creator in conjunction 
with the existence of a devil, who exercises an independent 
power of his own to thwart nearly the whole of this G-od's 
purpose. The theory, however, is not a Christian one, but 
originated from the old Scriptures. Curiously enough, it is 
not spoken of in the beginning of the Jewish traditions, but 
only after their return from captivity in Babylon, and, as 
has been before stated, it bears a strong resemblance to a 
doctrine embodied in the Persian mythology. This suggests 
that the theory of an existing devil and evil spirits was 
adopted by the Jews from the Persians during their cap- 
tivity. 

It has been maintained ever since, but lately we hear less 
of his satanic god ship. He appears to have relaxed his bold 
proceedings, perhaps because he finds himself unable to cope 
with the progress of enlightenment and civilization. 



ERRONEOUS THEORIES OF HELL. 



The Christian representation of hell is just as absurd as 
any of the former theories, and being entirely inconsistent 
with the theory of a just, merciful and infalliable Creator, 
must be a most unjust and merciless institution. The Crea- 
tor, who according to the Scriptures, made all things, must 
also have created hell, a place of torture for those who by 
his own directions are destined to suffer there for eternity, 
whether they deserve it or not. Since men originated under 
various circumstances, and are of different character and 
nature, their inclination to submit to the various temptations 
that surrounds them, originates with their innate dispositions 
and propensities. Since, however, the explanations of what 
ie sin are so many and varied, it is difficult to designate what 
may or may not be within its limits. The Christian Doc- 
trine maintains that all humanity are sinners, not by their 
actions only but by nature ; and that only the submission to 
Jesus Christ exclusively saves them from eternal damnation. 
Consequently the vast number of people who lived before 
him are all condemned to hell. This cannot be understood 
or explained otherwise, as it is so plainly stated. Hell, there- 
fore, must have been of superior consideration in the creation 
from the beginning, and the doctrine how to avoid this hell 
even malicious in contruction. 

While, the doctrine as it is conspicuously stated, that 
"Blessed are they that mourn," most surely must allude to 
those who have -something they can mourn for. or repent of 
evil done, they have first to commit some wrong before they 
can repent, and according to this bible teaching these sinners 
would be the most favored people in heaven. Even great 
evil-doers, who out of fear for what may happen to them 



246 Erroneous Theories of Hell. 

hereafter, may sincerely repent and in humble submission 
surrender to the doctrines of Jesus Christ, and they would 
consequedtly be saved from eternal damnation and be glori- 
ously received in heaven ; while others who lived a most 
conscientious and just life, but departed suddenly without 
having any chance to reconsider any of their former mistakes, 
would go to hell and suffer there for an eternity. It would 
be no harm of course to recognize these questionable- doc- 
trines of Christ, and peacefully submit to them, however, if 
righteousness must be considered a high virtue it must be 
conceded also that it is hypocrisy and sin as well to submit 
to any doctrine which does not appear to be sensible and just 
— but is even revolting — to a conscientious mind. 

This question of future judgment, it may be suggested is 
out of the reach of our criticism, and that it must be left to the 
discretion of the all-wise judgement of God himself. How- 
ever, since such reasoning must prove our utter ignorance 
about the future, all other prophecies and calculations to this 
effect must be considered frail suggestions only, for which 
even the slightest vindications are wanting. 

While the so-called prophets of for former times, who arc 
alleged to have been informed by divine inspiration, only 
treat of the torments of hell, but fail to throw any light upon 
these critical questions, the defects in their prophecies must 
be convincing proof that they did not know more about the 
future after death then we know now. Regardless of this 
prophetical information about this future hell, all statements 
in regard to it differ. At some places in the bible it is re- 
presented as a furnace with a terrible hot fire raging, and 
closed with iron gates ; at others a place of darkness, where 
" there is weepirg and wailing and gnashing of teeth," and 
we also read of condemned spirits being allowed to leave it 
to wander on this earth and seduce the righteous into wick- 
edness. 

Regardless of the fact that science has penetrated this 
universe for millions of miles, and no such place of torture 
has yet been discovered, its locality must be considered to 



Erroneous Theories of Hell. 247 

be too vague to call for further comment. It may be said 
that it is mentioned symbolically only, but then this state 
ment proves to be a deception, and we may at once declare 
that we can have no trust in any prophicies of former times. 
We may rather suggest that these theories and doctrines were 
promulgated by utterly ignorant and superstitious people, 
who compiled these accounts from legends and traditions 
which circulated at times when the condition of the earth 
was yet a mystery, and when all knowledgd was founded on 
superstition only. When Jesus Christ lived no better theo- 
ries were known, and they are adhered to and believed in by 
many even in our present day. 



THE AUTHOK'S INTUITIONS. 



When all doctrines and theories of an arbitrary supreme 
ruler, such as finds representation in the Scriptures, had be- 
come but a childish fable to me, and my mind wandered 
restless in an uncertainty, I could not remain unconscious of 
the magnitude of all creation and the marvellous system of 
the universe. An irresistible idea seized me that all this 
magnitude could not have originated and be controlled on its 
own behalf; but that a great original power must inspire this 
incessant moving and generating universe, directing its course 
to the furtherance of some eternal aim. Can we question 
the validity of such suggestion, when experience and science 
prove the incessant transformation and evolution not only of 
the things of earth but that in regard to celestial bodies also. 
All has a course to finish which ends in transformation. To 
each of the planets and the stars is an aim reserved, and 
every one maintains its assigned place and course until its 
final destiny is reached. Could all this be without an object, 
but be like child's play, only vain ? How could we entertain 
the idea that all this greatness should be in vain, when even 
we insignificant creatures do not act and think without some 
prospective object? Should all creation, then, which inspires 
the whole and is so superior in construction, be itself with- 
out an aim ? [When on account of our limited conception 
we are not able to unriddle creation's destiny, yet we must 
concede that the whole is striving at some object. To us 
insignificant, though most important subjects on this globe, 
a final aim also has without doubt been reserved. 

When I consider the mysteries of creation and its magni- 
tude, I cannot think it was influenced only by such powers, 
as we are able to conceive or calculate of through science ; 



The Author's Intuitions. 249 

but that a number of powers and forces must exist which 
are not known and not perceptible to our limited mental 
capacity, but which in various forms and ways are active, and 
exercise immense influence on the whole system. The pres- 
sence of some of these powers are known to us by their 
effect, as electricity, magnetism, attraction, cohesion, light, 
sound, heat, &c. and the presence of other but unknown 
powers must be presumed from the wonderful results to be 
observed daily in the changes of nature, which, even with 
all our scientific knowledge, remain still mysteries to us. 
Scholars are able to explain the generation, combination and 
dissolution of matter, tut the processes of nature leading to 
these results they are unable to explain. 

However, there is nothing lost in the universe, neither 
substanee, powers or atoms ; and while substance is confined 
to space, powers and atoms traverse the whole universe to 
exercise their influence where their presence is required, ana 
disperse again to find new employment when their duty is 
performed. While evolution shows its traces on all that is 
perceptible, and we presume that it extends its influence on 
the powers and atoms, its alliances, we may suggest that the 
improved condition of the latter rather inspires the evolu- 
tion of matter. Science teaches us that all creation's subjects 
are contributory and dependent on each other. The multi- 
tude of stars, although all occupy a special course, each con- 
tributes its share to the balancing power of the whole system, 
while their light and influence prove the interchange of 
powers and atoms. The whole is one great system, and all 
that appertains especially to any one part, is none the less in 
accord with the whole. 

Evolution inspires the whole, and while the developed 
course which our globe at present occupies has been preceded 
by some others, most probably the smaller ones, the remain- 
der will succeed in due time, although their substance and 
condition may differ in various ways. The metamorphosis 
of matter could not be confined to substance only, but stipu- 
lates a change of its surrounding powers and atoms, which 
experience evolution in equal degree. 



250 The Author's Intuitions. 

These powers and atones of the universe, whose influences 
are various, must be manifold, and while contrasting even in 
effect must, like substance, vary in character, and affect cre- 
ation's subjects according to this character. The higher and 
more complicated powers of the universe are those inspiring 
vegetation and animal life, as well as the power of instinct 
and the senses. These are powers as well which assert their 
presence by. their activity in combination with the substance; 
depart again, however, when its aliens do not maintain the con- 
ditions which are required to sustain its inspirations. The most 
accomplished of all powers of the universewhich are known 
to us, are installed in man, creation's most perfect subject. 
He lias the powers of senses and of conscience in a most 
perfect and united system. These, called the spirit of men, 
are inspired powers as well, and far superior to the body, 
which returns to dust, its original character, but the spirit, 
which experiences transformation only, lives forever, and 
returns to its original and kindred spirits, when its duty in 
creation's destiny lias been performed. There it is renewed 
to perform again its duties in the eternal work of evolution: 
the strife for perfection, and the aspiration to draw nearer to 
the sublime and infallible original power which inspires the 
whole universe, Nevertheless this supreme power could not 
be perfect in the sense as we understand it, as it would have 
created everything perfect, according to its own image; pro- 
gress would be impossible. However inexplicable its nature 
is, its aim is endless perfection and ennobleness of the spirit, 
to which all powers are con tributary and Creation its means. 
The invariable duty of the spiritual power is the promotion 
of this inspiration, and to assist with all energy the accom- 
plishment of this eternal aim ; while its future delight will 
be, the consideration of its proficiency in which accomplish- 
ment it is efficient, and the reward a future higher position 
in creation's efficiency. 

Our short sojourn on this globe is only a course of evolu- 
tion of the spirit. A brave and sincere struggle through 
this life, in any form, develops the mind, and an honest vie- 



The Authors Intuitions. 251 

tory over all temptations enobles it, which gentleness adds to 
its beauty. The conviction of performing our duty gives us 
strength and confidence, and with a pure consciousness of 
having acted in accordance with honest conviction, we may 
readily face whatever the future may have in store for us. 

A wicked life and disgraceful deeds withdraw the mind 
from noble aspirations, and while retaliation for the trans- 
gressions of nature's laws generally overtake the transgressors 
after short delay, the greatest curse is the degradation in its 
glorious and eternal aim. 



THE EVOLUTION OF LIFE. 



Creation instituted various methods for the accomplish- 
ment of evolution. The most efficient method of promoting 
this aim is in the propagation, of animal life, and essential in 
the construction and nature of humanity, its most perfect 
and accomplished subject, and which almost indicates a 
special direction of its providence. While propagation, in 
cause and effect, is of the same tenor, yet the results repre- 
sent such actual contrasts that they hardly seem to be derived 
from the same original. We are called upon to admire cre- 
ation's providence, in the singular diversity of character and 
construction of the two sexes, each of whom by contri ranee 
being assigned their special duty and special influence in it s 
own direction. The male sex, which by nature is the 
stronger and most energetic, is prominently adapted for 
struggle and toil, and to provide for all the necessities of 
life, and in this capacity represents the medium for muscu- 
lar and spiritual development ; while to the weaker, but 
more affectionate female sex the capacity and disposition is 
bestowed to rear and care and, with an innate loving and de- 
votional spirit, inspire refinement and tender feelings, the 
agents of the ennoblement of mind. To woman, in this ca- 
pacity, is assigned the most important charge to care and 
rear and guide her progeny from their earliest existence to 
manhood, and toward the course they are to occupy in their 
future life. As a plant requires the most tender care in its 
early growth for its healthy development, so are the cares 
bestowed on a child from its earliest days. 

There is a saying ;; a good tree brings forth good fruit," 
but good seed, when planted on poor ground and badly cared 
for, degrades the plant; while poor seed on good ground, if 



The Evolution of Life. 253 

well cared for. will always improve the nature of the plant. 
The purity and good condition of the ground on which the 
plant shall grow, therefore, must always be of prominent 
consideration. The seed stipulates the character of the plant, 
while the generating power secreted in the surrounding 
ground inspires it with life and development. Therefore 
the ground, which exercises such important influence on the 
seed, should be justly cared for, according to the production 
we expect to derive therefrom* 

Should not woman, then, to whom this most important 
agency of creation is assigned, and who proves to be worthy 
after all, not be honored and adored ? While woman is bur- 
dened with the toilsome cares of home, to her should be 
granted unprejudiced right to perform her responsible and 
noble mission, and be a real and foremost guide toward cre- 
ation's highest aim — to evolution and ennoblement. Upon 
woman rests the responsibility of the elevation or degrada- 
tion of future generations. 

Mens ingenua deo grata. 



The End. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 

Authors Preface. . , ............ 4 

Questionable Dogmas 8 

Superstition and Eeligion 14 

The appearance of Christ. . 18 

The life of Christ 23 

EXPLANATIONS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 

^ucle. .. 27 

•James 30 

John . . . 34 

Peter 41 

The testimony of Paul 50 

Paul to the Romans 53 

« << << Corinthians I. 58 

" " " " II . 67 

" " " Galatians 72 

" " " Ephesians. 75 

" " " Philippians 78 

x< ci << Colossians 80 

" " " Thessalonians I. . , 82 

" " " " II. 85 

" " « Timothy I 87 

" " " « n, 9i 

" " " Titus. 95 

" " " Philemon 97 

Comments on PauL 100 

The Acts of the Apostles 102 

The Gospel of Luke , 134 

" Mark 171 

" Matthew 177 

" John 186 

Revelations of John 232 

Summary 236 

Lrroneotts Theory of the Deity . 239 

" " " Heaven 242 

" Devil 243 

" Hell 245 

The Author's Intuitions 248 

The Evolution of Life . , • . . . . . . , 252 



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" 64 ' 


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Chapter XI 


Chapter II 


" 77 ' 


' 10 


' insignificanse 


demerits 


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" 81 ' 


' 31 


1 Chapter I " 


Chapter IX 


• 83 ' 


1 


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this grace 


' 86 ' 


■ 17 


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verse 19 


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' 29 


' exercises " 


received 


" 87 ' 


• 27 


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verse 10 


" 90 ' 


3 


Forbidding 


Forbidden 


" 99 ' 


' 25 


' sixty years " 


forty years 


' 115 ' 


5 


■ seems " 


does not seem 


" 120 ' 


7 


Galilee " 


Jerusalem 


" 122 ' 


' 27 


' verse 10 


verse 19 


" 124 ' 


' 22 


» 33 


" 38 


" 126 ' 


' 16 


Chapter XXn 


Chapter XXI 


" 128 ' 


' 16 


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Chap. XVIII 


" 141 ' 


' 12 


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'150 ' 


' 25 


XIX 


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" 154 ' 


3 


XVIII 


XVI 


" 163 ' 


' 11 


disposition " 


dispersion 


" 164 ' 


' 35 


asseveration 


asservatioii 


" 172 ' 


4 7 


Acts XII 


XXI 


" 173 ' 


' 13 


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